Sly and Erica Cooper in: Thieves in Time
by PhantomGirl17
Summary: My 'real' name is Erica Monica Thomason and I'm human. Well, until about a year ago I was. I'm now half-human, half-raccoon. I live in the exact same world you readers do. A world where everyone believes the impossible (meaning Fictional impossible) is impossible. So, how did it happen that I'm half-coon you ask? Here's what happened... PG17:THIS IS NOT AN INCEST STORY!
1. We're Where? You're Who? I'm a WHAT!

**A/N:****Me:** _*looks up at the readers with a bruise on her cheek, a bandage around her head and right arm in a cast.*_ Hello everyone! I finally decided to post this story and see what you all think! If you've read my Fire Emblem story you'll know why I'm bandaged up like this.

**Sly:** _*enters the room*_ Well, you did have five boxes of jeans fall on top of you.

**Me:** _*sigh*_ Don't remind me! Anyway unlike in my Fire Emblem story, I have Sly Cooper here with me in the Authors' note. He's here to help me with disclaimers and all that while Final Fantasy Crisis Core's Golden Trio keeps Flamers and the like from my Fire Emblem story.

**Sly:** _*leans against the wall*_ Didn't you say you were going to write out the _entire_ story before you posted it?

**Me:** _*shrug*_ I got impatient!

**Sly:** _*sighs shaking his head*_ Alright. PhantomGirl17 does not own me, my friends or anything in the main original story line of the game series named after me.

**Me:** And just like in my Fire Emblem, Questions, Comments and Reviews can be PMed to me or left in the Review section at the bottom of the screen. A bucket of water will be left aside for any and all Flamers, people who post Rude Comments and Snide Remarks.

**Sly:** She would also like if you would read her other story's, _**'Fire Emblem: True Awakening'**_ and **_'My New Life in Middle Earth'_**, and tell her what you think.

**Me:** You don't have to though. It's up to you. Enjoy the first instalment of _**'Sly and Erica Cooper in: Thieves in Time'**_! _*Bows*_

* * *

><p><strong>Sly and Erica Cooper in Thieves in Time<br>By: PhantomGirl17**

**I: Sly Cooper and the Gang in: 'We're Where!? You're Who!? I'm a WHAT!?'**

_I probably should just start at the beginning. The name's Sly. Sly Cooper and I'm a Thief from a long line of Thieves. In fact, thieving is the Family Business, and business was _Good_! Although until recently I considered myself retired. Having hung up my mask and cane, I wa-_

WAIT! Hold it! {Cue record scratch} Wrong intro! Sorry, let's try that again.

Let's start at the beginning. My _'real'_ name is Erica Monica Thomason and I'm human. Well, until about a year ago I was. I'm now half-human, half-raccoon. I live in the exact same world you readers do. A world where everyone believes the impossible (meaning Fictional impossible) is impossible. So, how did it happen that I'm half-coon you ask?

Well, my story starts with a Video Game Series called 'Sly Cooper'. You know the one. It had become one of my favorite games over the years. I was playing 'Thieves in Time' in my room when I heard a scream from the living room. When I got there, I was met with a sight that made me sick. My little sister, mom and dad dead in a pile with Rats the size of a toddler, dressed in radioactive protective gear staring at me. It was then that a Skunk walked in on his hind legs. I recognized him immediately but never thought I would see him in real life since he wasn't supposed to exist:

Cyrille Le Paradox, one of Sly Coopers' worst enemies.

He smirked at me before I was knocked out. When I woke up I felt strange. Rubbing my eyes beneath my glasses, I tried to get whatever sleep I could out of my eyes. When they cleared, I screamed. Mostly because there was a gold-furred female Humanoid-Raccoon dressed in the same clothes as me staring back at me. Slowly I sat up and crawled towards her. She did the same and soon we were in front of each other. I reached out my hand but it hit glass. Placing both hands on the glass, the truth hit me hard: this was a mirror, this was my reflection and the Humanoid-Raccoon was me.

I later learned that Le Paradox's Time Machine also could jump dimensions. His plan was to find someone compatible with the Raccoon DNA he had and make that person a half-coon. This person would meet with Sly Cooper, learn the ways of a Master Thief and then steal the Thievius Raccoonus and deliver it to Paradox.

Guess who was compatible with the Coon DNA?

After refusing to go along with his plans, he injected something into me that made it so it's painful for me to go from my human form to my coon form and visa-versa. On my third week in that prison, I decided to escape. True, I wouldn't have anyone to go to and no family left but I can live. You see Paradox showed me a News report about a mass murder. Not only were my parents and sister murdered, but also my grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, and teachers. Even every one of my church family was murdered!

I looked around for something to help me unlock the lock on my cage. I then saw an old but sturdy branch about my height, a bit of rope, some sharp but old nails, and what seemed to be a bent bar form when they changed the old bars on my cage. An idea came to me, and using these items I made myself a Cooper Cane. The bar and branch were thick enough so that they wouldn't brake easily and the nails held them together really well. The rope would serve as a shoulder strap to keep it on my back. I twirled it around a bit before holding it over my shoulder like Sly would. Smirking, I went into my newly dubbed Cooper Form and used my new Cane to break the lock on the door.

I slowly used my new instincts and senses in this form to avoid the guards and even pickpocket a few of them. I finally reached what seemed to be Paradox's Treasure Room. I took a quick look around and grabbed some stuff, putting them in a bag that I had taken from one of the guards. I suddenly froze when I saw a familiar dagger. In 'Thieves in Time', this Japanese samurai dagger in front of me was needed by Bentley for his Time Machine to travel back to Feudal Japan. An idea came to me.

Pulling out a pen and paper, I wrote a note.

Finishing my letter, I folded it so it would fit in the sheath of the dagger and marked the corner that stuck out with the Cooper Family symbol. I then placed it so that only a True Cooper would be able to see it. I then placed the dagger back, grabbed a couple more small jewels and some twenty and hundred dollar bills before leaving the room to sabotage the place.

That was a year ago. I had returned to my old home and grabbed everything that I knew I couldn't do without, placed them in my 'Doctor Who' themed bag, that was inspired by the painting 'The Pandorica Opens', and left my hometown.

I've never gone back save to visit the graves of my friends and family.

I've traveled all over the world, trading in the small jewels for cash and using my Cooper Form to work on becoming a Master Thief. I have stopped many men and women who were in the Black-market and stealing to show off. Most of the stolen stuff I returned to the original owners, but if the owner was dead I kept it. I left the Cooper mark at the scenes of my heists and a couple of times let security cameras and guards see me in my Cooper Form. At first, the world thought my work as a publicity stunt to promote the 'Sly Cooper' series and to get people ready for game number five. But when most of the items I had stolen were never returned, they realized _I was the real deal_.

Soon my Cooper Self was known and seen all over the world. Mostly on 'Wanted' posters but there where those who were putting me into the new copies of World History Books!

My hideout was in a cave behind a waterfall in France. It was filled with all my treasures, but also many traps to keep people out. I was happy with this new life to a point, but now I was dealing with a new heist and decided to first crash the party at the Museum the man I was researching "invited" me to.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Slys' POV~<em>

We were at our hideout at the moment as I found something strange inside the Japanese samurai dagger we had just taken from the Museum. I saw that there was a letter inside it with the Cooper symbol on it.

I read it aloud to Murray and Bentley.  
><span>"Dear Sly Cooper,<span>

I know you don't know me but I need your help. You are extremely popular around here, and not just for your Thieving skills! My whole situation is hard to explain unless you're here. I know Penelope, Bentley's Girlfriend, is missing and I know you needed this samurai dagger to go back to save your ancestor but I _Beg_ you, Bentley and Murray help me first.

The Rat, well Skunk, who you will steal this dagger from, Le Paradox, has held me captive for about a month now. Because of something he caused when he captured me, I have no one else to turn to so I decided to take up a new name and follow the family's tradition to a T. Said family lives in you dimension and only exist in a Video Game Series here. I only ask that you use this letter in Bentley's Time Machine to travel to this dimension and find me and take me to your dimension. Currently, I am trying to escape this prison and will be going out and putting my new families name down in the History books.

If you do make it and try to find me, search carefully. I will be well hidden but I'm sure as a Master Thief you'll be able to find me. Again, please help me and in return I will help you find out about what happened to Penelope.

Help me, Sly Cooper. You're my only Hope!

Signed, Erica Monica Cooper previously Erica Monica Thomason."

After reading it aloud, we were silent. She had signed it _Erica Monica_ Cooper _previously Erica Monica Thomason._ She had taken the Cooper name as her own because the Black marketer that I had been researching about had held her prisoner.

"Guys, I think we should find her. She used the name 'Cooper' as her own, she knows about Penelope's disappearance, she even knew about Le Paradox and that we needed this dagger first!" Bentley nodded. "I agree Sly. She could definitely help, but we should still be couscous." We all hopped into Murrays' van and I placed the note into the receptacle. "Hang on tight guys!" Murray shouted before slamming his foot on the gas.

We soon found ourselves with a city to our left and a forest on our right. After making our hideout in an old abandoned treehouse in the forest, Bentley began his research. To our shock, this whole dimension was completely parallel to ours but inhabited only by two-legged, no-tailed, no-furred creatures called Humans. We also found that I was famous, and it's not even for stealing. In this dimension, I am a fictional video game character in a series named after yours truly but that's not what caught Bentleys' eye. When looking up my family name we came across a News report from this morning with the name Cooper in it along with a picture of the Cooper Family symbol. Clicking on it, we watched.

_"And in other news; last night, The Cooper Thief struck again. In the Museum of Lyon, Matthew Beowulf, a billion heir and owner of the newest Egyptian Exhibit had hosted a party in said exhibit earlier that evening but left early claiming his assistant needed him back at his mansion. It was discovered, with the help of an anonymous source, that Beowulf was the Master of the Biggest Black-market in France and all the items that Beowulf 'supposedly lost' that were to be a part of the Exhibit, were actually sold to the Black-market._

_Through the help of the anonymous source, all the items on the Black-market were returned to the original owners before they returned them to the museum, allowing them to be on display. Even though investigators found all the treasures original owners, a priceless Egyptian Crown, necklace and earrings worn by a Pharaohs Wife were not owned by the Museum but kept on display since the original owner, Professor Eric Nixton a major archeologist in Egypt, was killed a week prior. It was later found out that Beowulf had paid an old rival of the Professor to kill the man only to make sure the man was caught in the end and nothing could be traced back to Beowulf._

_That night when everyone had gone home, the crown, necklace and earrings were stolen. It is obvious that the worlds' infamous Anti-Hero, The Cooper Thief, was behind the theft. Cooper did not even turn off the security cameras that showed her theft."_

We looked up the World-Wide Police report on the Cooper Thief. When her picture appeared, we were surprised. Instead of a Human, she looked like me but her fur was a golden color and her eyes were emerald green. Her outfit looked a lot like mine but it was a dark red almost black color. Her cane was also something to see. It was made of a sturdy branch with a crooked bar as her hook and it was held together tightly with nails and a rope strapped to it to keep it round her shoulder. Even as strange as it looked, it had been smoothed out, polished and on the staff of the cane were symbols in Ancient Greek, Latin, Japanese and Egyptian which Bentley translated as 'Once a Cooper, Always a Master Thief'. Looking up her profile, she was definitely an Anti-Hero. She was proud but not cocky, shy but not insecure, brave but not without fear, innocent but with a past, and though she worked on the dark side of the law, her actions proved she worked for Justice.

With a few clicks, Bentley brought up the video of the party, sound included. As I looked through the crowd, only two people caught my eye. One was a man with grey hair in a business suit and the other was a blond haired young woman with red glasses in a gold and red dress. The Man seemed to be eyeing the girl with a smirk that worried me, but the woman seemed a bit too interested in the Egyptian Queens Crown and jewelry.

"Bentley, can you zoom in on the girl in the red and gold dress and get the sound feed of what she's saying?" "Of course I can! Do you doubt my abilities as a genius?" He asked and soon we had zoomed in on the green-eyed, fair-skinned female. We heard her softly whisper. _"These are beautiful. But they look exactly like the ones Eric dug up on his diggings in Egypt. He told me they were stolen last month before he was..."_ The man came over and tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me."

The girl turned around with a gasp but then sighed. "I'm sorry mademoiselle. I didn't mean to scare you." "It's fine Sir. My name is Erica Monica Thomason."

Murray gasped. "That's the name signed on the letter!" Bentley then began to look up the name on a separate computer as I continued to watch the feed.

The man smirked, took her hand in his and kissed it saying, "Charmed, I'm sure. I am Matthew Beowulf." I snarled as I watched him flirt with the girl. "Pleasure." She pulled her hand out of his and placed it behind her back, wiping the back of her hand on her dress. I snickered. "You know this crown reminds me of the one that Professor Nixton dug up from that old tomb in Egypt." Beowulf frowned. "You knew the Professor?" Erica nodded. "Old friend of the Family. It's sad that he was shot to death by an old rival a week ago." Beowulf smirked again. "Indeed."

He placed his arm around her waist and pulled her close. It was so sudden she almost spilled her drink. His hand kept wandering up and down her body but she didn't move. To a normal person it would seem that she _didn't want_ to leave the man's grasp, but to the eye of a Master Thief, she wanted to _get away_ from him. I watched as she sucked it up and placed what seemed to be a tracker on his jacket.

Beowulf then asked her if she would like to go home with him and have some 'fun'. I growled verbally at that. But before she could obviously refuse, his cell phone rang and he growled answering it. "What?" He was silent and said, "Very well, I'll be there in a moment." He hung up and apologized to Erica for having to reschedule their 'date' before leaving. Suddenly, Erica smiled slyly and pulled out a small device. _"Finally! I thought he would never leave me alone. At least I got to put that tracker/voice recorder on him. Now to record the evidence of his Black-market and his guilt in Eric's death and send it to Interpol via Wireless."_

Pressing a button on the computer, I skipped to the Heist and watched as the Golden Coon descended from the ceiling by cable. She slipped through the security lasers easily using the Ninja Spire Jump, though she had to grab a column with her cane to keep a laser from singeing her tail. Using her cane, she grabbed the crown, the necklace and earrings. She looked up at the camera and blew it a kiss before leaving a small sapphire token shaped like the Cooper Family symbol. Winking at the camera again, she disappeared up into the roof.

"I got it! Erica Monica Thomason is an American who was kidnapped and kept prisoner by some mysterious person. The FBI couldn't find out who kidnapped her, because she escaped her captors and her captors blimp disappeared when they had a clear site on where they were going to crash. It also says she sabotaged their base using only some rope, old nails, a bent piece of metal and a branch." I raised my eyebrows in shock. That sounded impressive. Plus the items she used to escape seemed to also be what made up the Cooper Thief's cane. "When she got back to her hometown she learned her kidnappers took extra care to ruin her life. They not only killed her entire family, but her friends, teachers and even the members of the church she went to!" I growled wondering how stone-hearted her kidnappers were. "She told the FBI that she was never told why her kidnappers wanted her, nor did she meet them in person, just the minions. The professional Doctors she was examined by stated that she had been experimented on a lot, but they were never sure what..."

"Guys! I hear something coming this way!" Murray said and we heard music coming our way. Looking out one of the windows I see that it is Erica. She's wearing faded blue jeans, tennis shoes, a skin tight T-shirt that says 'Define Normal', and her red glasses. She had a bag on her back that seemed to be in the pattern of something exploding and in her pocket was what I thought was her phone, the music coming from it. As she came closer I saw that she also had something else on her back but I couldn't make it out.

"~The rhythm of the city but once you get it down, then you can own this town, you can wear the crown! Why should I worry? Why should I care? I may not have a dime, Oh! But I got street savoire faire! Why should I worry? Why should I care? It's just bebopulation and I got street saviore faire! Everything goes, everything fits! They love me at the Chelsea, they adore me at the Ritz!~" She sang with the music without a care, dancing like no one was watching. And to her no one was.

When she came into the light I saw what it was on her back: The Cooper Thief's Cane! "Sly, she's heading deeper into the woods. Time for some Recon! Go follow her!" I was out the door before Bentley finished his sentence.

The song finished and I watched as she started walking slowly, the next song coming on. Unlike the first song it was slow and soft. She was humming along with it as she came to a river. "~Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me? Why is my Refection someone I don't know? Somehow I cannot hide who I am, though I've tried. When will my Refection show who I am inside? When will my Reflection show who I am inside?~" She placed the bag and her cane down before kneeling down, taking off her glasses, placing them into her bag and splashing her face a bit. Wiping off the excess with the back of her hand and wrist, she stared at her reflection in the water. She sighed.

"Still can't believe it's been a year to the day since I was kidnapped by Le Paradox. If I told the FBI who captured me and what he did to me, I'd be in a straitjacket in a mad house right now... or living as a lab rat. But still...' To my surprise, she transformed into the golden furred Raccoon I saw on the Video feed. I quickly snapped pictures of her transformation on my binnocucom. She winced in pain. 'I'm happy I was the one kidnapped and not someone else. I can't believe I was the only one compatible with the Coon DNA he had. I'm so glad he didn't drag me into his plan of destroying the Cooper Family." She stood and stretched before picking up her bag and placing her cane on her shoulder much like I would do. "I hope Sly got the letter I sent him. There's nothing left for me in this world, so I might as well go to the next one."

I blinked before contacting Bentley. "Bentley, you were right! Erica is the one who wrote the letter, and guess what, it was the art dealer Le Paradox who kidnapped her and did something to her to make her half-coon!" "Then she's definitely our target! Keep following her Sly!" I nodded before following her.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Erica's POV~<em>

I knew there was someone following me and that they most likely seen me transform. I led them to the waterfall where my hideout is, humming the song _'I Stand Alone'_ from 'Quest for Camelot' as if I had no care in the world. Wading through the shallow water to the front of the waterfall, I held out my cane and hit the switch that was on the other side with the hook. I took a step back keeping the bent part of the hook in contact with the water. I then raised my cane and the water split like lifting up a curtain from the middle.

Removing my hook, I walked through the dry entrance. Knowing my follower will try the trick for himself, I knocked the switch back in place with my foot and the waterfall went back to the way it was. With another kick I hit the switch that turned on the torches along the walls. I quietly stepped over the first of my three entrance traps. The other two you could easily see are traps, but their triggers are not what you think they are. The one I just stepped over was too classic for someone not to get caught in it.

As I was passing the third trap, I heard a _'SPROING!'_ sound and a yell of 'Hey!' I smirked knowing my follower was trapped in my first trap. Turning off the music, I placed my cane behind my neck but still on both shoulders and hanging both arms over it, and I turned around. Walking back to the first trap I said aloud, "Ah, the old hidden net trap. The oldest one in the book. So easily known, so easily forgotten and so easily fallen for." I chuckled.

I looked up to see who I caught in my net but I gasped and almost dropped my cane in shock. In the net, staring back at me, arms crossed and a raised eyebrow was Sly Cooper himself. He looked just like he does in the game. Grey fur with black rings on his tail and around his brown eyes. His signature blue thief outfit and his cane were hanging there with him. It also seemed he got a little bit wet from the waterfall because I could see his abs through his shirt. Blushing, I stuttered out. "Good Lord, I'm so sorry!" I quickly jumped up onto the net and untied the knot that held the net up.

"If I had known you were the one following me I would have warned you about the first trap." He brushed off the invisible dust on his pants and shirt saying, "It's fine. I didn't know if you wanted me to reveal myself. Nice entrance, by the way. Using the waterfall for your door." "Hearing that from you really means something to me Mr. Cooper."

He laughed. "No. Mr. Cooper was my Dad. You can call me Sly, Mademoiselle." He took my hand and kissed the back of it, being a complete gentleman. I stuttered and looked away blushing. "Um...uh... S-Shouldn't you contact Bentley or something? I'd rather explain everything to all of you at once then having to repeat myself."

That was how I met the team. I led the three of them past the traps to the main room/cave. On my immediate left of the entrance, was a fire and water powered kitchen. On the right was a couch, Flat Screen TV, Lazy-boy chairs and a coffee table. In front of me was an old four poster bed with red and gold curtains and a small closed off tunnel that led to the bathroom with a hot spring and two guest rooms. "Just give me a minute to put some stuff up. Make yourselves at home and help yourselves to anything in the kitchen."

Bentley went over to the couch and Murray went straight to kitchen. I however went to my bed with Sly following behind. I pushed the curtain that was behind the headboard out of the way and hit a switch which made the trap door next to my bed open. "Since you are the only Master Thief I know of and the only person who was able to find me, I'll show you my Treasure Trove." With that said I jumped down the trap door and landed on the Arabian and Egyptian pillows.

Sly landed next to me and the Torches flared up revealing piles and piles of gold, jewels and odd treasures. "Most of these no longer have original owners." I placed my bag on a hook on the wall and pulled out the Egyptian crown and jewelry. I walked over to a mirror and tried on the crown. I smiled as I saw it fit perfectly. I again winced as I transformed back to a human. I leaned up against the wall to keep my balance. Sly came over and held me up. "Are you alright?"

I gave him a shy smile as I shakily straitened. "I'm fine. This is one of the disadvantages of what Le Paradox did to me. Going to and from my Coon form is painful, but I can handle it to a point. Can you get my glasses from the pocket in my bag? It's funny that I'm still half blind when I'm human but have twenty-twenty vision in my Coon form." He nodded and returned with my glasses, putting them on for me. I smiled and tried on the necklace and earrings. Turning to Sly, I asked, "How do I look?"

He smiled. "Like Egypt's Queen." He took off his hat and gave a mock bow. "You Highness." I laughed and began walking past the piles of treasure to a small pedestal. I placed the crown on it and the necklace and earrings on the pillow next to it, then turned to Sly spinning in a circle. "So Sly, what do you think of my Treasure Trove?" "Impressive." I kissed his cheek, making him blush, before walking back to the front of the room. "Thanks. When I escaped Paradox, I gathered what I knew I would miss from the home I was living in before I was captured, then started traveling the world. I followed what I could from what little of the Thievius Raccoonus was shown in the games and only stole in my Coon form. This way no one can catch me because I've never shown anyone I can transform in the first place." "Very clever."

I reached the ladder that led up back to the main room but stopped before I touched it. I pulled out a small shuriken I got in Japan from my pocket and threw it so it smacked the priceless Spanish Gem carved in the shape of a fox out of Slys' hand. "Don't even think about taking anything from here. I'll tell you this now because I like you and already consider you a friend. The only way you will take anything from this trove will be if I personally give it to you. Got it, Cooper?"

He nodded. I climbed up the ladder with Sly following behind. We came up on the opposite side of the bed that the trapdoor entrance was on. I reached again behind the bed curtain and flipped the switch closing both trap doors. Walking back over to the living room couch where Bentley and Murray were sitting and eating, I turned to Sly and asked, "Anything you want to eat?" He shook his head and went to sit down. I then pulled out a CD from my cabinet by the TV and handed it to Bentley. "This is most all the information that I could get from Paradox's Original Plan. I have no idea if it's changed in any way though. However, I'm going to go with the more fun version of figuring out his plans,' I pulled out my PSVita, starting up Thieves in Time. 'And that's playing the videogame version of your current adventure."

Murray came over and watched me start up a new game. "So this is the game that shows the adventure we're on now?" he asked. I nodded. "Yeah, it is. It's easy once you get the hang of it. But on the third Boss Level, I kept getting defeated and had to redo the Level about sixteen times before I beat it."

I offered them to stay the night here and they agreed. As Bentley and Murray went to get the van, I set up the two guest rooms. "Murray can have one room, Bentley can have the other.' I then turned to Sly. 'I'll take the couch and you can have my bed." Before he could protest, I grabbed my 'Kiss Me, I'm a Master Thief' shirt and matching pajama pants and went to the bathroom. I undressed and put my hair up in a bun. As soon as I slipped into the water of the hot spring, I gave a content sigh and slid deeper into the water. I started washing off all the mental and physical grime of the day before turning Coon and washing my fur.

I was gently washing my tail when I heard, "Is it okay for me to turn around now? I've been standing here with my back turned for about five minutes." My head whipped around to see the back of Sly. "W-Well, I'm in the water if that's what you mean." He turned around and walked toward me. He stopped almost directly in front of me and crouched down and I could only think one thing: _'Thank Heaven for the Bubbles'_. "Why are you giving me your bed? I mean, it's nice of you to do and all, but you're also a Lady and I don't think sleeping on the couch will be very good for you."

I looked away. Honestly I had only given him my bed because it seemed like it had been a while since he slept on a real bed, and the fact that he won't get a real soft bed while time traveling. Plus there was the fact I had always had a crush on him, but I wasn't about to tell him that! Instead, I said, "I don't know. Just a gut feeling you'll appreciate it later. Especially since you'll be traveling through time." He was about to say more, but paused. With an expressionless face, he stood up and walked to the other side of the spring before putting down his cane. He then started to strip and I looked away, placing my hands over my eyes. "Warn me next time you're about to undress, Cooper!"

I heard him laugh and the sound of him getting into the water. I then felt a pair of hands pull mine away from my face and I found myself looking at Sly's face. I blushed a bit but relaxed when he picked up a brush and started to brush out my tail. I sighed as I felt his fingers gently untangle the knots in my tail before brushing it out. "You... You don't have to do this, you know."

"I _want_ to."

I blinked and looked up at him. It had been a long time since someone had said that to me. I smiled and let him continue brushing.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Sly's POV~<em>

I lay awake on the bed Erica had given me thinking everything we found out today over. First, we are now in a world where no one is an animal, but Human. Second, I'm a famous Video Game Character here. I half wish Clockwerk were alive so that I might rub it in his face! Ahem, moving on... Third, Paradox somehow got Coon DNA and found it matched Erica's DNA and turned her into a Human-Raccoon Hybrid. Fourth, Erica's family and friends are all dead thanks to Paradox and she chose to become a Cooper. Finally, Erica knows what's going on with the Thievius Raccoonus but won't tell us directly for fear of Time Paradoxes and something deadly disastrous happening to all of us.

I sat up and got out of bed to get a drink. I felt the cold stone floor beneath my feet and shivered a bit before heading towards the kitchen. I opened the fridge and pulled a drink called Diet Coke out. Unscrewing the top and taking a gulp, I sighed leaning against the counter.

My mind wandered a bit before the stunt I pulled in the bath came up. Honestly, that was a very dangerous thing to do. A Male Raccoon brushing a Female Raccoon's tail is intimate and only meant for mates to do to each other. I have no idea what came over me to want to get in that bath with her. Perhaps its' because my instincts wanted to make up for lying to Carmelita. So it found the first Female to pamper, which was Erica. I took another deep gulp of my drink. _'Though I have to admit, I didn't mind. She _is_ beautiful, both as a human and a Raccoon.'_

I almost did a spit-take when that thought started running in circles across my mind.

Before I could really comprehend that thought, I heard whimpering coming from the living room. I put my drink back in the fridge and walked over to the couch where the sound was coming from. There I found Erica whimpering, tossing and turning on the couch. "No... Don't hurt them... Mom, Dad, Little Sis! Please, Don't..." When I realized she was having a nightmare about her family's' death, I kneeled down next to her and gently began to shake her awake. "Erica, wake up. It's just a nightmare!"

She gave a little scream and sat up. Her eyes were franticly looking around the room before they locked with mine. I saw complete and utter fear, sadness and no recognition of who I was for a second. "S-Sly?"

I saw the tears running down her face and gently began to wipe them away. "Erica, I know it hurts to lose your family. Believe me, I know how you feel. I lost mine when I was just a kid thanks to the Fiendish Five. But I have a new family now. Murray, Bentley, My ancestors. And now, there's you."

She blinked. Then I found myself in a hug with her crying into my shirt. I wrapped my arms around her and rubbed her back comforting her as best I could. She soon fell asleep in my arms. I was about to place her back on the couch, but found she had an iron grip on my shirt. I sighed. I was already having troubles with my relationship with Carmelita; being around Erica was not really helping the situation. With no other choice, I picked her up and headed to the bed.

The next morning she apologized for falling asleep on me after panicking about waking up in bed beside me. Actually she squeaked and fell off the side of the bed. She poked her head up over the side and looked at me with a blush. "Um... uh... I'm gonna go get dressed and make breakfast."

After a hearty breakfast of 'Frosted Flakes', eggs and bacon and French toast, we finally talked more about what was going on. "Without ripping a hole in the whole time/space continuum, I can safely say that your ancestors are only being wrongly imprisoned and their canes are being taken from them. Rioichi is the first you should see."

After gathering everything she would need, she asked one more thing of Bentley.

Twenty minutes later, Murray, myself, Bentley and Erica were in the Van zapping off to our destination. Going into her Human form, she now wore black jeans, black heels and a Black long sleeve shirt. Murray parked the Van and I got out first helping a solemn Erica out with four bouquets, one of white roses and three of lilies, in her hand. When Murray and Bentley were out of the Van, she gave each of us one of the lily bouquets and kept the rose for herself. She opened the gate and led us through this small town graveyard in her hometown in Virginia.

It was a clear night and the stars and full moon shone brightly down on the tombstones. She led us to the center of the cemetery, to a large tombstone that I read aloud. **"Thomas William Thomason, René Mariam Thomason (nee Jones) and Christina Elaine Thomason. Beloved Father, Mother and Little Sister."**

She kneeled down and smiled. "Hi, Mom, Dad, Little Sis. I have some people I want you to meet.' She motioned us closer. 'These are my new friends. Directly behind me in the wheelchair is Bentley Turtle, on my right is Murray Hippo and on my left is Sly Cooper. I told you they were real Chrissy!" She said exclaiming the last sentence in that old 'I told you so' voice. Me and my friends chuckled.

"I'm not going to be available for a while. The pages in the Thievius Raccoonus are disappearing and I'm going to help them as much as I can. It's the least I can do and I will also get back at Paradox for what he did to you and everyone else.' She placed her flowers on top of the headstone. 'I'm not sure when I'll be back but I'll have a lot of stories to tell when I do!" She kissed each name on the headstone before standing and walking back towards the van.

Bentley wheeled forward and placed his bouquet on the gravestone. "Don't you worry Mr. and Mrs. Thomason; we'll keep your daughter safe." Murray nodded placing his down as well. "Believe it!" They both followed Erica back to the van. I stood in front of the grave and was reminded of my own parents' grave. Kneeling on the grave, I placed my lilies in front of the name of Erica's mother and leaned my forehead on the cold stone. Closing my eyes I spoke.

"Mr. Thomason, Mrs. Thomason, Christina Thomason. I swear to you I will watch out for Erica and help her find happiness again. She will be welcome in my family and I have no doubt in my mind my ancestors will love and approve of her. On my honor as a Mater Thief and a Cooper I promise you."


	2. Turning Japanese- Part One

**A/N: Me:** Hey everyone! I bet you're surprised I posted so fast! Just two days after the first one was posted!

**Sly:** I was surprised when you told me about that Fire Emblem: True Awakening Christmas Spoiler Chapter your working on.

**Me:** _*squeaks and covers Sly's mouth*_ Sly! Ex-nay on the Oiler-spay. _*pushes Sly behind a window curtain and turns to the readers*_ Pay no attention to the Cooper behind the curtain! Anyway, I would have posted this when I finished it three minutes after midnight last night but I fell asleep.

**Sly:** _*parting the curtain with his cane*_ You also got distracted by the smell of bacon and eggs in the morning. You also had no hot chocolate in the house or marshmallows, and that fact alone made you grumpy.

**Me:** _*pouting*_ I can't help it! I'm getting in the _Christmas Spirit_! Besides at least, I got to make a Gingerbread house with my family and watch **_'The Polar Express' _**and a couple of Hallmark movies.

**Sly:** _*coming out from behind the curtain*_ Look, I already spoiled it for those who read the your Fire Emblem story so why not just tell the rest?

**Me:** _*rolls eyes*_ Fine! _*looks to the readers*_ _**Fire Emblem: True Awakening **_will be having a Christmas Spoiler Chapter! This Chapter will be posted on Midnight on Christmas Eve, right when it turns into Christmas day. Though it may happen that I just post it before Midnight on Christmas Eve. _*Shrug*_

**Sly:** Anyway, PG17 _Does __NOT_ own me, my friends, nor the game series named after me. Any and all Questions, Comments and Reviews can be PMed to her or posted in the Review section. A bucket of Water has been set aside for any and all Flamers with Rude Comments and Snide Remarks.

**Me:** Hope you enjoy the first part of **TURNING JAPANESE**! _*bows before grabbing Sly's hand and dragging him to the Kitchen* _Come on! I'll make you some hot chocolate with a Candy Cane in it and we can eat some Gingerbread Cookies.

**Sly:** _*smiles and follows but stops at the door and turns to the readers*_ Au revoir! And Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas!

* * *

><p><span><strong>II: Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Turning Japanese-Part One<br>**_We needed to locate Rioichi Cooper, Master Ninja and Master Chef. According to the Cooper Clan History, Rioichi Cooper was actually the inventor of Sushi. After creating this delectable dish, he opened a Sushi Restaurant which, while very prosperous, also provided the perfect cover for a ninja._

_When we got to Japan, it was obvious something was very wrong. What should have been a peaceful village was more like a heavily patrolled military base! We located Rioichi's sushi restaurant only to find it shut down and under guard! Things got worse when Bentley and Erica discovered that Rioichi was locked up in a new high-security jail allegedly for serving bad sushi to the Shogun._

_It all sounded like a pretty tough piece of fish to swallow. We needed to get to the bottom of the situation and the first order of business was getting Rioichi out of prison._

_**Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Turning Japanese- *Feudal Japan 1603 AD***_

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Erica's POV~<em>  
>I sat in the corner of the hideout that was the bedroom looking all around the place. I had to admit, I was surprised that Murray had a ping pong table and Arcade game in the back of his van like in the game. The Arcade game was in the midst of being repaired and had lots of games on it that Bentley made. I volunteered to be the test player and Bentley said yes to my delight. On the other side were empty shelves ready for any and all treasures that we may find and steal. And of course Murray's Van sitting beside a lily pond.<p>

I stood up, changed into my Cooper form and stretched. "Bentley, I'm going out to map the place out. Anything you need me to get while I'm out? Milk, eggs, wax for your shell?" Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sly snicker. "Ha ha. Very funny.' Bentley laughed sarcastically. 'No. But I would like Sly to go with you, I've got a job for both of you." I smiled and nodded. Right before I walked out of the grate leading outside Murray grabbed me. "Hold it Erica! You're forgetting something." I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow. "What am I forgetting?"

Sly came up and tossed me something that I almost dropped. Looking down at what it was I almost dropped it again. "A binnocucom?" Sly grabbed my hand and dragged me out the grate/door. "You didn't think you'd not get one, did you? Your part of the team now." I smiled.

Sly and I both climbed to a roof top by lamp post. "So any more benefits I should know about that comes with joining the Cooper Gang? Besides getting exercise from being chased by your on/off girlfriend?" "How did you know about Carmelita?" He asked, jumping to the roof. I raised an eyebrow as I jumped next to him. "You're a Video Game Character in that other world remember?" "Oh right."

I watched as he performed the Ninja Spire Jump to the next roof. I bit my lip before copying him exactly. "Say Erica, if the Thievius Raccoonus doesn't exist in your world, how did you learn the Ninja Spire Jump?" I looked away embarrassed. "W-well I played the games so much I just studied what you would do in the game and copied it. It's not perfect but I had to make due with what I had." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "When this is all over and the Book is back to normal, I'll let you borrow it so you can study up." I smiled and nodded. "As long as you don't mind."

Our Binnocucoms' beeped and we both picked it up. Looking at the outside of it, mine looked like a pair of dark red almost black binoculars. There was also an earpiece attached which I immediately placed in my ear. Looking into it, however, was a different story altogether. There were three little screens on the bottom of the viewer, one reviling Sly, one revealing Bentley and the last one I saw myself. On the top of the viewer was the Cooper Clan symbol and a camera that sent an image of me to Sly and Bentley's binnocucom. "Wow Bentley, this thing's even cooler in real life! You're definitely getting a big Christmas present from me as a thank you."

He chuckled. "Okay you two, we need to break Rioichi out of jail. I have some ideas, but you know the drill Sly- I need you to do some recon for me."

"Camera work?" Sly asked.

"Correct-a-mundo, mon ami. I need some shots of the prison entrance and the Samurai Armor those big guards are wearing. You should also grab some shots of Rioichi's restaurant, we may need those for later. Capice?"

"Got it Bentley.' I said. 'But maybe we should just stick with speaking English, please?"

Bentley placed his hands together, bowed his head a bit and said, "Sayonara, Cooper-san. Erica-chan." Then the connection cut off.

Putting up our binnocucoms, I turned to Sly and said, "You get the Armor and the Prison entrance. I'll go take some pics of Rioichi's Sushi Restaurant as well as anything else that looks out of place." He nodded. "Alright but be careful." I smirked before Spire Jumping onto a wire. "You as well, Sly-sama."

I rushed off to the Sushi Restaurant. But then I saw the Dragon Gates of the Imperial palace and went towards it. The large black gate with red pattern design stood well over a hundred feet high. Two large Dragon heads with glowing red eyes and smoke coming out of their snouts were on either side of the gate. Behind the gate in the distance, I saw a large statue of what looked like a tiger. I pulled out my Binnocucom; I saw two small buttons on the top. One was for the zoom and the other was to take the picture. I then took a couple of steps back from the gate, made sure to get into focus and took a picture of the gate.

"Erica, why are you taking a picture of the palace gate?" Bentley's voice asked through my earpiece. "Well, for one we will need to know how to get in here if whoever imprisoned Rioichi escapes in there. And that statue in the background just rubs me the wrong way." But as I was about to run off towards the Sushi House, I looked in the direction of the prison and screamed. Perched on top of the prison was Clockwerk, The Cooper Clan's number one enemy. His metal head turned and he stared straight at me with those red eyes of his. I gulped and I watched as his shoulder shook as if he was laughing. I blinked and shook my head before running over the stone bridge and through the open gate. I had seen him in the game but seeing him in real life was terrifying. Hopefully he doesn't know about me and that I'm, in a way, part Cooper.

Running past some chickens I came to the Sushi House I zoomed in real close and took the picture, getting a good close up of the front doors and the two guards.

"Mmm, I love sushi!" Bentley said. "I've never tried sushi before. Not even when I lived in Japan for a month back in that other world." I heard the turtle gasp and Sly said, "Well, when we get Rioichi his restaurant back, he can make you some to try." "That would be nice."

Bentley then said, "Sly, Erica, there's some kind of commotion outside the Geisha House. Go check it out and get some shots too!"

"Bentley, remind me to buy you your _own_ camera." Sly said and I snickered before heading to the Geisha House. I was on the roof of one house when suddenly, two stork guards appeared on the roof I needed to jump to so that I could reach the covered bridge that led to the Geisha House. Hiding behind a chimney, I glanced around the corner. My eyes locked on to the bulging bag of gold on their hips. My eyes grew wide and the Cooper Thief within me purred in delight. It had been a while since I pickpocketed someone. "Okay, Erica lets' see if you still got it."

I jumped up on the same roof as them and crouched down into a sneak. Tiptoeing up behind the first, I pulled my cane off my back and placed the tip of the hook into the purse of the first guard. With a simple flick I had all his coins out of the purse. Smirking, I knocked him dead I then did the same thing to the other but found a mahjong tile in his purse.

My smirk widened knowing we could sell this tile with Bentley's contacts. Placing it in my bag, I continued towards the Geisha House. When I reached the covered bridge I found Sly waiting. "Nice pickpocketing skills." My eyes widened. "You saw?" He nodded his head. "Yeah, I did. Pretty impressive. Might need some work but you were good." I smiled.

We took pictures of the front of the Geisha House when suddenly the doors opened and a Tiger smoking a cigar came out. He was dressed in a grey shirt and pants with yellow timing, a red sash across his chest and two swords on his back. We ducked down behind some decorative pillars to make sure he doesn't see us. "This guy looks _definitely_ out of place." I said.

"Let's get a shot of this guys' ugly mug for Bentley." Sly said. I nodded and we both took the pictures. "He should be crawling around a Tropical Jungle somewhere." I said and Sly nodded in agreement.

Our Binnocucoms beeped and we followed the Tiger while talking to Bentley. "Guys, I'm _sure_ I recognize that guy! He's wanted by Interpol!" "Interpol? Aw man! There's another Police department whose 'most wanted' list I haven't gotten into." I muttered. "Erica, focus!" Sly said.

"He's a ruthless mercenary general, responsible for overthrowing several small countries!" Bentley stated and my eyes went wide. "So what kind of mess are the four of us in, Bentley?" I asked. "I don't know. But one thing's certain- Erica you are correct: We aren't the only ones with a time machine!"

So now, Sly and I returned to the Hideout for our next assignment. While Bentley was going over our pictures we took, I made a lunch of fresh ramen noodles and rice balls for everyone. But then remembered Clockwerk. My eyes widened and I quickly finished making lunch and served it to the three. While the other two were eating I went over to Bentley and asked before he took his first bite, "Bentley can I talk to you privately, please?" "Sure Erica." He wheeled over to the corner with me following. I bit my lip before speaking.

"Bentley, I just remembered something I saw while we were out. We're in the past right?' he nodded. 'Sly's nemesis, Clockwerk, was the reason his ancestors died right?' he nodded again. 'If that's true, then don't you think he would be alive in this time?" His eyes widened. "Where did you see him?" he asked quietly so Murray and Sly won't hear. "On top of the prison. He looked right at me."

Bentley thought for a moment. "We'll just have to be careful. He doesn't know about you being part Cooper or of Sly destroying him in the future." I nodded but was determined to warn Rioichi when we get him out of prison.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>Sly's POV<em>  
>Erica and I looked through our Binnocucoms at the prison. She had been a bit jumpy since we left the Hideout, as if she knew something was out there, watching us. "Are you okay Erica?" She turned to me and bit her lip. "Well, during the photo op Bentley made us do I saw something that scares me more than anything else in this world or the other. I just don't want to meet it face to face."<p>

I nodded and looked through the lens. "Erica, Sly,' Bentley began. 'this place is locked down tighter than... well, tighter than something." "Your database security? Murray's pants?" I humorously suggested. "My grandma's snicker doodle recipe." Erica suggested. Bentley and I raised an eyebrow at her image on the binnocucom. "What? The safe she kept it in is not only old-old, but has really high security. I've been trying to open it for years! The safe is in my waterfall home in the other world if you all want a crack at it."

Bentley rolled his eyes. "Whatever you two, this is no laughing matter. I've checked and there really is no way in except for the front entrance. I think there's only one option." "The Doorbell?" both me and Erica asked at the same time. We put our binnocucoms down and looked at each other before laughing hard. When we caught our breath, we looked back into our binnocucoms.

"Very funny, you two. No. You're going to need a disguise. Get yourself a suit of armor from those guards. That's our way in." I nodded and smirked. "Roger that. Just call me "Samurai Sly"." "With an ego that big Sly, I think I'll just call you Cocky Cooper." I rolled my eyes at Erica's comment. Putting up our binnocucoms the two of us began to pickpocket the guards for armor.

We soon walked up to the gate, I was dressed in leggings, breast plate and helmet however Erica went in a completely different direction. In her Coon form, she was dressed in a ragged dress, barefooted, hair cut ragged and short, and chains on her ankles and wrists. "What's with this getup Erica?" She pressed he lips together as she put a blindfold with the Cooper Clan symbol over her eyes. "You'll look more like a commander with a prisoner to drag to prison. I'm the Cooper Thief after all and what better cell for a Cooper then with a Cooper. Just say that I'm Rioichi's accomplice." I raised an eyebrow. "Then what's with the blindfold?" "Eyes can't lie. I've learned that in the year I've had after Le Paradox. When I help you guys after we rescue your ancestor, someone might recognize me if I keep using my Coon Form."

I nodded seeing her logic. I grabbed the chains but hesitated. "Don't worry. Go all out! Get into Character! You're a rough and tough Major! I don't mind getting a bit bruised for the benefit of the heist." Nodding again, I pulled roughly on the chain on her wrist up to the guard.

"You there! Open the Door! I need to place this prisoner in the High security cell with that Cooper!" I said in my best commanding voice tugging Erica's chain. The guard grunted. "Hmmph! I haven't heard we were to have a new High security prisoner. And aren't you a little short to be a Commander? Who are you?" I racked my brain for a name since I couldn't give my own.

"Why, I am... Major Muggshot!" Erica snickered and muttered, "Muggshot? Seriously?" I pulled her chains a little harder, making her wince in pain. I pressed my lips tightly trying not to break character. The guard growled. "Muggshot?! I've never heard of you!"

I got up in his face and said. "You dare question _ME_?! Son, I've been a guard since you were just a squealing piglet!' I turned my back to him. 'Wait until I tell _The General_ about this! I hear he LOVES _Pork Chops_!" "Ooooh! You're in trouble now!" Erica giggled. The guard's eyes widened panicking. "Wait! I'm very sorry, Sir! I didn't recognize you! Please, go right in!" He moved to the side and I walked in pulling Erica behind me.

We walked around the large fire pit in the center of the first room and past the guards. Down a hall and down some stone steps to the dungeon where guards patrolled and prisoners were tortured. "Well, this place is better than I thought it would be. If I'm to be imprisoned here, I believe I will be comfortable." Erica whispered to me sarcastically. I snickered as we continued on. "I wonder if Rioichi ever crossed paths with Clockwerk?" Erica stiffened but stumbled as I pulled her forward. I looked back at her and saw she looked scared. I tugged her chain and she looked at me. Giving her a smile we pressed on.

We soon found ourselves at the edge of a bottomless pit. Hanging from a dragon hook in the center of the pit was a Dragon shaped cage. And in that Cage was...

"Holy Dragons! Rioichi Cooper!" Erica whispered pulling her blindfold off enough where I could see her wide eyes. Rioichi was a brown furred Raccoon with a goatee and brown eyes like mine. He was in his blue ninja outfit, sitting on cross-legged on the cage floor.

"Hey! Rioichi Cooper! Are you okay?" I whisper/yelled up at him. Rioichi glared and said, "You guards all seem to make very poor jokes!' His eyes then turned to Erica in her ragged outfit and chains, but he also saw the Cooper Clan symbol on her blindfold. His eyes widened and he growled angrily at me. 'And who is that coon girl beside you? How dare you imprison a woman! It is dishonorable!"

Erica shook her head, lifting her blindfold and pulling a wrist out of one of the cuffs. "Although, I appreciate the concern on my being Cooper-Sempi, he's not one of those bozos! This was the best disguise we could come up with on short notice." I took off my armor and leaned on my cane. "We're here to bust you out! This is Erica and my name's Sly..."

"Ah, I see! Fellow ninjas! Very good!' He placed his hands together and bowed. Erica returned the gesture and I copied her. 'You will need to make your way to that Dragon Bridge to reach this cage. Hurry up!" I nodded. "Okay I'll be there soon, just... stay put!"

I could practically feel Erica rolling her eyes at me. "Ha ha. Very funny." Rioichi said sarcastically. I placed the costume back on and Erica readjusted her costume. We continued our way past guards and through a crawlspace. "Rioichi Cooper! I can't believe it, Erica! He's a Legend!" "I believe you Sly. He is amazing!" To a large room where some guards were feasting. I crawled under the table, scattering the mice under it, while Erica walked around the guards. Some of them noticed her and wolf-whistled at her. I growled not liking the looks they were giving her. We finally made it into the clear.

After crossing some wooden bridges and past some more poor unfortunate souls, we came to a stone bridge when a golden dragon popped up and began to breathe fire. "Sly that samurai armor is highly unique! I've done some test and I'm positive it's fire resistant! While wearing it I'm positive it'll allow you to walk directly through flames!" Bentley said. "But what about Erica? Her outfit isn't fireproof." I asked. In answer, she jumped onto the Dragon's head and cartwheeled to the other side, far away from the flames. "Well, you coming Sly?" I blinked. With a sigh and a shake of my head, I followed.

Suddenly a giant axe swung out in front of me swiping the stone bridge in front of us. "Sly that armor is pretty tough, but I'm fairly certain it won't stop a giant axe." Bentley's voice stated. Erica and I carefully but safely made it to the other side of the bridge with little to no damage.

We finally came to the last room before the Dragon Bridge. I picked the pocket of one of the five guards to get the key and we opened the gate. Before I could walk forward, Erica held me back and said, "Sly I have a bad feeling about this." "Erica, were almost to Rioichi, what could possibly happen?" she shook her head. "Don't say I didn't warn you when your sentence jinxes us and you activate a trap."

Across the Dragon Bridge, there were a dozen guards on either side. It wouldn't be easy to get past them even with our disguises. I started forward when I stepped on a circular dragon pattern on the floor. With a rumble and a click, it dropped an inch activating what obviously was a trap. I chuckled nervously and glanced at Erica whose eyes were narrowed at me with a look that said 'I told you so.' "Eh, oops...?"

I could see Rioichi face palm and shake his head. The room shook as stalactites fell from the ceiling. Four sets of large fire breathing metal dragons appeared and the Dragon Bridge crumbled. Erica and I jumped back and pulled out our canes. "Looks like we'll have to swing across." Erica stated as she grabbed the edge of her ragged dress and ripped it off to reveal that under it she was wearing her original Cooper outfit but it was different. It looked a lot like Rioichi's Ninja outfit but in her signature dark red almost black color and was completely form fitting. She tossed aside the chains and pulled her blindfold to go around her neck. Swinging her cane around a bit she said, "Let's go save the Ninja Cooper."

When she stepped forward, the Dragons turned to her and one opened its jaw getting ready to roast her. I jumped in front of her and used the shield on my armor to reflect the fire balls back at the dragons, destroying them. "Erica, I'll knock out those dragons. Go on ahead." She bit her lip but nodded. As I jumped from fallen stalactite to fallen stalactite firing the dragon's fire balls back at them, she went ahead to make sure the footholds were safe Rioichi complementing us as we went.

We finally reached Rioichi's cage and hung on by the bars. "Hmmm.' Rioichi began. 'I do not know you, but only a true Cooper could have reached this cage..."

"Ya! I didn't want to alarm you, but my full name is Sly Cooper. I'm your relative... uh, from the future..." I said hoping I didn't just scare the Legendary Ninja Cooper out of his wits.

Imagine my relief when Rioichi shook his head. "Do not worry, ninja are never alarmed. With all that has happened here lately, I believe you...' He then looked to Erica. 'Are you a Cooper from the future as well?"

Erica shook her head. "Not officially. I am from the future, but it's a long and complicated story on how I got mixed up with Sly and his friends." The cage suddenly rocked. "Now perhaps you two would open the cage so that we may escape certain death?" Rioichi asked.

I nodded quickly. "Right! Of course!" I knocked my cane against the lock, breaking it and let the door swing open. The cage jerked again and we looked up to see one of the chains holding it up had broken. The three of us climbed to the roof of the cage where I lost my balance and my cane. I thought I was falling to complete and utter doom when I felt something hook to the back of my neck.

Looking up I saw Rioichi holding on to one of the larger, sturdier chains with one hand and my cane in the other. With a flick of his wrist, he sent me flying up over his and Erica's head so that I could grab the chain. Moving to an upright position, Rioichi handed me my cane. Placing it between my teeth, I started climbing with my ancestor and Erica behind me.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>After rescuing Rioichi, we returned to the Hideout. Unfortunately, there wasn't much time for 'Family Reunions'. We needed to figure out what was going on and fast.<em>

Rioichi, after making rice and sushi for Erica, confirmed that the source of the trouble was the tiger we had tracked in the village, someone calling himself El Jefe. After some more Database digging, Bentley was able to uncover his Interpol file. El Jefe had an impressive record.

Over the years, he had taken over dozens of small countries around the globe... usually for the highest bidder. He was a ruthless mercenary and military strategist, the highest order. In fact, he once boasted that he could overthrow a country commanded only three blind mice armed with plastic spoons! According to his file, this guy had mysteriously vanished a while back just as the authorities were closing in.

Well, we had found him and we needed to take him down.

It looked like we were in for a tough battle, so we decided to start with Rioichi's Sushi shop.


	3. Turning Japanese- Part 2

**A/N: Me: **_*is half asleep next to Sly*_ Hi guys! Happy New Year! Anyways, it's almost midnight here and Sly is already asleep so I'll cut to the chase. I **_DO NOT_ **own the Sly Cooper Series. I only own my OC Erica! Thank you all who commented! I like comments! As always a bucket of water has been set aside for the Flamers! _*screams out*_ _**THIS IS ALSO NOT AN INCEST STORY!**_ _*covers her mouth as Sly stirs but relaxes when he doesn't wake*_ Sorry. Thought I would point that out. I'm going to sleep now so good night!

_*Falls asleep*_

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><p><span><strong>III: Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Turning Japanese-Part Two<strong>

_~Rioichi's POV~_  
>I sat on the top of one of the chairs in the hide out my heir and his friends had. Sly-san was helping Murray-san with adjustments with the weird devise called a Van. Bentley-san was researching anything and everything that would help with restaurant. As for the only woman in the group, Erica-chan was sitting by a fire pit, sewing up a hole that she found in my outfit.<p>

The Female Coon was a strange one. She had yet to inform me of how she became involved in my heirs gang. She also had a strange aura about her. "Here you are Rioichi-sempi. All mended and ready for action." I smile and bowed taking the mended clothes. "Thank you Erica-chan." She smiled and inclined her head but then the smile faded. "Rioichi-sempi, do you know of a place we could talk without anyone interrupting? I think I should explain who I am and all that's happened to me." I thought for a minute before answering. "There is a small gazebo on the edge of the river outside the village." She nodded and asked me to lead the way.

After she informed Bentley-san we were going to, we both snuck out of the village and to the gazebo. Sitting down on the seat there, she sighed. "First things first. I'm going to show you what the Skunk that hired El Jefe to capture you did to me." She closed her eyes seeming to concentrate on something. Suddenly her tail disappeared, her fur turned to pale skin, her nose shrunk and her ears became smaller and disappeared on the side of her head behind her hair.

Opening her eyes, she blinked a bit before digging into her pocket and pulling out a pair of glasses and putting them on. Pushing them up her nose a bit, she winced as if in pain. "This is what I really look like. Le Paradox, who hired El Jefe to go after you, kidnapped me. I refused to help him, but the damage was done. He gave me the DNA of a Raccoon from this world that wasn't a Cooper. He made me half Coon in hopes of getting ahold of the Thievius Raccoonus. That was his whole reason for going to my home world and finding the match for the DNA."

I blinked. I was, for the first time, alarmed but showed no expression. She turned her head away from me her fists clenched in her lap. "I knew it. I shouldn't have told you. Though your face is blank, I can see your true feelings in your eyes." I gasped in shock that she could tell what I was really thinking. Then I realized she was crying. I grabbed her hands and wiped away her tears.

"Do not cry child. I am shocked that you would reveal this to me, and I do not doubt that you will tell the other ancestors you meet. I have never met a human before but there are Legends and Tales of humans even here. It is an honor to meet one." She stared at me wide eyed before giving a watery smile. "You have no idea what that means to me Cooper-Sempi."

After that she wiped her tears and told the rest of her story. I was proud how she honored the Cooper name though she is not one by blood, DNA or otherwise. She told me then of the heist that led to her being found by Sly. I growled when she mentioned what that Beowulf was suggesting to do to her at the party in the Museum but snickered when she told me how the Ninja Spire Jump was key to helping her retrieve her deceased friends jewels, and keep her tail fur from being singed.

Her face suddenly became serious. "There's one more thing I need to tell you about Cooper-Sempi." I shook my head. "You can call me Rioichi, Erica-chan." She smiled. "Sorry, I was taught to respect my Elders Sem- I mean Rioichi-san.' She bit her lip. 'Anyway, from what I know of Cooper history, almost every Cooper is killed by a creature known as Clockwerk. He is an Owl that was able to make his entire body into a machine, making him immortal in the way, just so he could wipe out the Cooper Clan permanently. Sly defeated him permanently in his time but that doesn't mean he's not here in the past." She looked down.

I sat next to her and lifted her chin with my hand. "What is it about this Clockwerk that I need to know?" I asked.

She looked at me sadly. "Just to look out for him. If he kills you before you make a family..." She ended it there but I could tell what she was going to finish with. 'Sly would disappear and the Cooper Clan will cease to exist.' I nodded and said in all seriousness. "I will take your advice. I will make sure to keep an eye out. On my word and Honor as a Ninja Master, I will not die before my time."

Suddenly, Bentley-san's voice came from our Binnocucoms and said, "Erica, it's time to get Rioichi his restaurant back! Both of you get into position!" She nods before standing and stretching. "Let's go!" When we met up with Sly-san on a roof near my Sushi Restaurant, I silently mourned at how deserted and empty it looked. Bentley-san called us again and we lifted our Binnocucoms to see Sly-san and Bentley-san as well as ourselves on the screens.

It's amazing the technology they had in the future!

"Okay Sly, Erica, it's time for Rioichi to reclaim his sushi restaurant. It looks like the front door is the only entrance. We need to get rid of that guard if we're going to get Rioichi inside. However, security is on high alert since we broke him out of jail and we can't risk raising an alarm I think this one is going to require some... misdirection."

Sly raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I bet if you wore that Samurai armor you stole, you'd be able to "relieve" that guard at the front door." he explained.

Sly nodded smirking and running a hand through the fur under his hat. "Right... plus I just look good in armor."

Erica rolled her eyes and groaned with Bentley. "Puh-lease..." Erica continued while Bentley placed his head in his hands, "Like I said: Cocky Cooper."

I chuckled before turning to look at the guards. El Jefe walked up to them and the guard saluted. The Tiger took the cigar out of his mouth and said, "No one gets in or out, understand?! I don't want any more problems!" With that said he walked off.

We looked over at Sly who nodded and put his armor on. However Erica contacted Bentley, Sly and I listening. "I just remembered, Bentley I need to finish that mission you asked me to do real quick. I guess I was just so nervous about telling Rioichi my past that I forgot."

Bentley nodded. "Then go ahead and finish it Erica. I'll let you off easy this time. Expect some punishment if it happens again." Her eyes widened as she nodded fearcely, then Bentley cut the connection between the three of us and him.

"Erica, what did you forget to do that could call for punishment from Bentley?" Sly asked.

"Something that will help us later. I gotta get going." She bowed to me before kissing Sly-san's cheek and running back towards the hideout. I looked over at my heir to see the fur on his cheeks had turned red. I chuckled and Sly shook his head and scowled at me. "Shut up. She knows I have someone waiting form me back in Paris." I raised an eyebrow at his disrespect. Seeing this, he winced and muttered an apology.

He jumped down to the ground before putting on his helmet. Marching up to the guards as they saluted him, he said, "Dismissed!" The two saluted him again before marching off while Sly-san stood in front of the gate. When he double checked to make sure no guards were nearby, he knocked three times on his shield. I jumped from my hiding spot and used Sly-san's shield as a springboard up to an open window above the door.

Waving in thanks I entered the building. Landing on the ground near the front door, I looked around quickly for guards. Seeing none, I pulled up the hood of my outfit before turning to the large welcome mat by the front door. I crossed my arms looking at it for a minute. It was brown with golden boarder. At the center was a picture of me in a golden ring, with golden sushi knifes crisscrossing on either side.

Nothing seemed out of place so I bent down, lifted the lower right hand corner of the rug and pulled out my Bamboo cane from the cane indention in the floor. With a twirl and flick of my wrist, one cane became two and I turned to the main floor of my restaurant. Pulling out the Binnocucom, I contacted Bentley. "Okay Rioichi, I guess I don't need to tell you about your own place. Quite ingenious of you to use your sushi knives as door keys, by the way."

"Bentley-san, I _AM_ a ninja master." I replied.

The turtle scratched his head. "Right, uh... my bad. Anyway, my scan reveals your sushi knives are still here. The bad news is the guards definitely have them. There are also some security traps you've _DEFINITELY_ never seen before."

"Bentley-san, though the bamboo forest is dense, water flows through it without effort."

"Umm, yeah. Just be careful not to alert the guards. Now get those knives and take your restaurant back!" He then ended the connection.

Looking around I could see no way to the first guard and door. _'I was unable to practice my techniques while in that cage. Let me recall the Leaping Dragon technique.'_ I climbed up a bamboo plant and Spire Jumped onto a lantern. I then focused my energy and directed it to a fan on the other side of room. Releasing the energy, I jumped and landed easily on the fan. Smirking, I focused again and leaped to the roof of the gazebo where I use some of my ninja skills to make sushi in front of guests.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Meanwhile with Erica~<em>  
>I was sewing as fast as I could to finish this outfit for what Bentley had planned for me and Murray later. "Aha! Finished!" I held it up, knowing it would fit the person I made it for perfectly, and smiled. "Bentley, I finished it!"<p>

He turned his wheel chair towards me and smiled. "Great job Erica! That'll do perfectly!" I folded the outfit and placed it aside, before walking over to Bentley and watching Rioichi from the wireless camera Bentley asked me to put on him as I sewed his outfit up. We could see everything he could. It was awesome and a good way to warn him of any danger he might not see. Pressing my lips together I looked at Rioichi as he starts walking along the roof of that gazebo.

I pulled out my PSVita and began to play 'Thieves in Time'. Ironically I was playing as Rioichi doing the same mission. "Tell Rioichi that there should be a spotlight around the corner he has to sneak around." Bentley looked at me before glancing at my Vita before informing Rioichi. "And Rioichi my scan also indicates that the nearby guard has your knife."

I glanced at the computer to see Rioichi nod before I heard him say both in the game and from Bentley's computer, "First, I will reclaim my knives. Then I will show El Jefe this shop _cannot_ be closed!"

I smiled as I gained Rioichi's Carving Knife in the game while said man claimed it in real life. I continued the game. "Bentley, inform Rioichi the hall leading to the next room will have lasers on the floor and the first of two guards will be right at the door."

I quickly followed the Rioichi in real life with the Rioichi in my game. Jumping up and Spire Jumping onto some pipes to a kitchen like part of the second room where fish bones hung on hooks and five pots lay on a non-burning stove. Landing behind the guard there, both Game-Rioichi and the Real Rioichi gained Rioichi's Fillet Knife. I knocked the guy dead in the game before opening the door to the hall.

"Alright Rioichi!' Bentley said. 'One more to go!" "Inform him there are more floor lasers in the hallway as well as moving lasers; three going from side to side from the ceiling and three going up and down from the wall on the left to the wall on the right. The only landings for his Leaping Dragon technique are fragile bonsai trees so tell him to jump fast."

Bentley relayed my message as I came to the final room in the game, the one with at least three guards and a bronze statue of him eating sushi in the middle of the room. As the Rioichi in real life pick pocketed all three guards, I avoided the guards in the game and went straight to the next hall where the lasers activated. "Bentley more floor lasers."

I pickpocketed Rioichi's Cleaver from the guard near the door to the final room as the one in real life also obtained his.

"Okay,' Bentley said. 'Now turn on your restaurant sign to send El Jefe a message." I watched as the real life version nodded and said, "One day, I will bring Greatness to this shop again!" I smiled as the both Game Rioichi and the Real Rioichi pulled the lever to start the furnace that started up the whole restaurant. I cheered, even going so far as to lift Bentley out of his chair and into my arms in a hug which he returned.

Returning to the hideout, I jumped up and hugged the Ninja Cooper congratulating him left and right! I suddenly remember that this was Feudal Japan and he might not be comfortable. I was about to pull away when he returned the hug. "Arigato, Erica-chan."

I smiled back before Bentley cleared his throat. "Rioichi, rest up for a while. Murray and I are going to get some fish for your restaurant." Murray and Bentley left. I looked over at Sly who was leaning back in a wooden chair his feet propped up on the table, hands behind his head. I reached into my bag, "Hey, Sly!" He looked at me as I tossed my PSVita to him which he caught at the cost of almost falling out of his chair.

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I shrugged. "I said you could play a couple of missions as long as you didn't go past anything you've not done before." He grinned before immediately starting up a new game.

I looked over at Rioichi and decided to ask something. "Rioichi-san? May I ask you a question?" He nodded. "Hai, you may." "Both in this world and the one I come from, when you are mentioned or seen in stories there's always a shark with you. Who was he?"

He became saddened but he pulled off his hood and sat down. I plopped down at his feet looking up at him. "His name was Same which translated into English means shark. When I was a young man, I went on a fishing trip one day and caught a giant, ferocious great white shark. I was about to kill the shark but it pleaded for its life. That is when I noticed a mysterious mark on his chest. It looked a lot like the mark of the Cooper Clan. I spared his life and in return the shark, named Same, swore loyalty to me and served as my mount at war." A proud look came to his face. My eyes widened in awe. "Wow! You two must have been really close and powerful together." He smiled and nodded. "We were victorious together and were graciously rewarded by the Emperor."

But then his face saddened. "As years passed, Same grew too old to fight. He knew of my dreams to begin a sushi house, being the inventor of sushi and all I wanted to share it. He asked me to honorably sacrifice his life and use him to start my sushi restaurant." My eyes widened in shock and even Sly, who had been half listening, almost dropped out of his chair and dropped the PSVita in shock. "He WHAT?!" We both asked. "Exactly my reaction when he asked me. I refused at first, but he kept insisting. I finally agreed though I was very reluctant."

Tears were in his eyes and ours as well. "His funeral was bittersweet in the end; I wept hard for my friend, but I apparently also produced the finest, sweetest, most succulent great white shark sashimi. It was a big hit which led to me building my famous sushi house. This very shop also provides the perfect cover for my thieving exploits.' He smirked wiping the tears away. 'So in the end I owe him everything I have today."

I smiled at him and Sly did as well before returning to his game. I then asked Rioichi if he would help me perfect the Ninja Spire Jump which he agreed. A few hours later Bentley and Murray came back with tons and tons of fish. My jaw dropped at the amount of fish that was stored in the cooler in the Sushi restaurant when we snuck back in with the fish.

That night Bentley gave me a look that said it was time. I bit my lip and packed the outfit I had made earlier in my bag. Together with Rioichi and Murray we headed for the Geisha House, a place I was not comfortable with considering what I knew of Geisha Houses back in the other world.

Reaching the covered bridge near the Geisha House, Rioichi and I pulled out our Binnocucoms and contacted Bentley. "Okay guys, the plan's simple: El Jefe only comes out of the castle to talk to _'Madame Geisha'_.' he said using the 'quote-unquote' sign with his hands. 'If we want to know what he tells her, we're going to need her costume. The good news is I discovered she's on vacation, and El Jefe doesn't know it yet. The bad news is it looks like the Geisha House is locked up tight. There's no way to get in from the street. If only you could get to the roof..."

I watched Rioichi smile as he glanced at a rope that led from where we were to the roof of the Geisha House. "Ah, for a ninja there is always a way..."

"Okay..." Bentley said.

"Talk to you inside, Bentley-san." He said smirking. I smiled and followed him as he crossed the rope but froze and stumbled halfway. He quickly caught me, placed me over his back and going over to the Geisha roof. Once there he made me sit down on the tiled roof. "Erica-san, are you alright? What happened?"

I didn't respond but pulled out my Binnocucom and looked towards a wall where a guard house stood. I took a quick picture before turning Rioichi around and pointed. He pulled out his Binnocucom and gasped. "Erica,' he said without the honorifics. 'Is that...?" I nodded. "Clockwerk."

The large Mechanical Bird seemed to once again sense my stare and turned its head to stare at me. It didn't even take a glance at the Ninja Cooper beside me. His shoulders shook again as if he was laughing before he spread his mechanical wings and flew off.

"Holy... I feel faint." I muttered. Rioichi held on to me and pulled me into his arms trying to calm me. "Is everything alright? Rioichi? Erica?" "We are fine Bentley-san. Erica-chan just had a bit of a scare." I heard Rioichi say. I was only staring ahead not seeing anything.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~With Sly in the Hideout with Bentley~<em>  
>I watched through the camera still on Rioichi's clothes. Erica looked like she had more than 'a bit of a scare'. She was shaking like mad. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bentley glace at me before whispering, "Was it Clockwerk?" That word made me freeze, especially when I heard Rioichi answer with, "Hai. It was him. Erica-chan had warned me about him and has already taken a picture."<p>

My mind whirled. I guess I should have known that Clockwerk would be alive if we went to the past. Erica warned Rioichi of him. I was a bit glad for that. I went back to watching the screen.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Back with Erica~<em>  
>"Perhaps you should return to the hideout Erica-chan." I stood and shook my head fearcely. "Sorry Rioichi-san but I'm not backing out of any mission unless I'm seriously injured." He eyed me for a bit before nodding his head. Finding an open latch and door we jumped down onto the stage of the Geisha house.<p>

When we landed we contacted Bentley again. "Rioichi, it appears that Madame Geisha's outfit is locked inside that large container. Although you'll probably want to stay off the floor in here. No sense alerting the guards."

"Of course.' Rioichi replied. 'Does a cat alert the rats?"

"Uh, right. Ok, we can get in through the top, but judging from the lock mechanism, it appears to be opened remotely. I'm going to need you locate and activate the control devices. It looks like the doorway to the first wing is open. There's bound to be one in there. And a whole load of traps. So be careful."

Rioichi bowed his head. "Arigato, Bentley-san." Putting up his Binnocucom, he looked again at the kimono, shook his head and said, "I do not see how Murray-san will fit into that outfit. Perhaps he is very flexible." I snickered.

He nodded to me before going off while I went back stage to prepare. While Murray, Rioichi and Sly were thinking I was just there to work the music, Bentley and I had come up with a different plan. I pulled out the Kimono in traditional Susohiki style I had made earlier and wrapped it around my body, the left side over the right as traditional. It was blue with silver Cherry Blossoms, Sakuras', all over. A blue and silver obi, sash, tied in a large bow on my upper back. Finished with my outfit, I sat down at a vanity in the back and began to put on the makeup.

You see, Murray stealing Madame Geisha's Kimono was a distraction; I was to do the real work.

"Erica, you almost ready?" I stood having finished applying the makeup to my face (pure white makeup over my face and neck with red lipstick, black charcoal outlining my upper eye and traced over my eyebrows making them stand out, and red eye-shadow on the corners of my eyes with a light blush on my cheeks) before putting my hair in a traditional Japanese bun most Geisha Girls wear. "Hai, Bentley-sama. Is Sly watching? He probably heard us talking about Clockwerk."

"He's brooding."

"What for?" I raised an eyebrow while setting the music ready.

"I don't know, but I can tell he's mostly worried about you."

"It's really weird, Bentley. That monster should have been looking at Rioichi but he didn't even glance at him. He only looked at me, laughed then flew off." I said looking through some boxes.

"Hmm. We'll think about it later. Rioichi is at the terminal. Talk to you later."

"Ok. I have everything I need anyways. Talk to you later and keep the line open so I can hear the reactions of everyone." I said lifting a silver and blue fan and umbrella from a box. I was ready. Looking out from behind the curtain I watched as Rioichi reached the top of the case.

"Target acquired.' Murray said. 'Agent Hawk going in..." He then jumped down to eye level with Rioichi as the cable on attached to his belt held him suspended.

"Uh, Murray-san, please be careful! That cable looks rather delicate..." Rioichi said pointing at the cable with his cane.

Murray looked up at him and said, "Have no fear, The Murray is here!"

Two seconds later, the cable snapped. He was suspended in air for a moment before he fell breaking the case and attracting the attention of the Guards.

Before anyone could say or do anything, Bentley said to everyone. "Okay Erica, you're on. Hope you know what you're doing."

I nodded as stepped out onto the stage, soft music playing in the background. The guards turned their attention to the stage as I walked out with smoke covering the stage floor and the umbrella covering my face. One of the Guards yelled out, "You there! What's going on? Explain yourself!"

I slowly lifted the umbrella and placed the fan over my giggling, smiling mouth. The guards dropped their weapons and their jaws. Murray stood and dusted himself off holding Madame Geisha's outfit on his arm and he gasped when he turned around to see me. I heard him say through the earpiece in my ear, "Sly, Bentley, Rioichi are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

I closed the fan and the umbrella and held the umbrella in front of me with its tip pointed down. I blanked my face not wanting to show any emotion, bowed to the guards and said, "Konnichiwa. I am Madame Geisha's apprentice, Yukiko Fuyuko. Please allow me to sing and dance for you in her place."

I took a deep breath as the music began. It was soft and gentle like the song I was going to sing called 'Sakura'. As the guards drew closer to the stage, I saw Rioichi sit up from where he had crash landed on the floor near the stage. He shook his head and grabbed the edge of the stage. Pulling himself up, he blinked at me before standing up with his eyes wide looking at me. Being as I was in my human form, I began to dance a routine that I learned in my worlds Japan.

"_~Sa-ku-ra Sa-ku-ra  
>Noyama mo sato mo<br>Mi-watasu kagiri  
>Kasumi ka kumo ka<br>Asahi ni niou  
>Sakura, Sakura,<br>Hana zakari~_"

It was going very well. Flowers were being thrown up onto the stage as well as some coins. I turned and saw a guard staring at me. I pulled up my fan and blushed smiling shyly behind it. I danced over to him and brushed his cheek and tusk with my fan. He stiffened before drooping and slowly 'melting' to the floor where he stayed in a love struck daze.

I danced some more and noticed a line of guards directly in front of center stage. The one on my far left had a bag of coins which he kissed before tossing them at my feet. The one next to him had his elbows on the stage and his tongue hanging out. The third flexed his muscles at me and winked when he saw me blush behind my fan. The fourth had a rose in his hand. He held it up for me to see before placing the stem between his teeth like one of those Spanish Salsa Dancers. The Fifth guard had a hand over his heart while he shook his buddy, telling him how beautiful I was. The last person in the line, on the far right, was Rioichi.

He was watching me and through the earpiece I could hear him talking to Sly and Bentley. "Bentley-san, I do not approve much of this plan."

"Neither do I!" Sly said.

"Guys, she was the one who convinced me. She said and I quote: 'I don't want to scar Rioichi with the sight of Murray in a Kimono. No offence to Murray of course. I rather him not embarrasses his pride and honor by forcing him to dress as a woman.' Unquote."

Rioichi then said, "Whatever the case, Erica-chan is doing very well. I find myself enjoying her performance almost as much as the guards."

"Yeah guys!' Murray said. 'I'm backstage right now and even from here I can tell she's good!"

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Murray and mouthed to him with my fan covering my lips from the audience. "Arigato Murray-san."

I danced over to each guard twirling my umbrella behind me and brushing my fan over their cheeks seeming to stun them. Reaching Rioichi, I let my fan bush both his tail and cheek before blowing him a kiss, hiding the fact from the rest of the guards. He blushed while I danced back to center stage and finished the performance.

_"~Sa-ku-ra Sa-ku-ra_  
><em>Yayoi no sora wa<em>  
><em>Mi-watasu kagiri<em>  
><em>Kasumi ka kumo ka<em>  
><em>Nioi zo izuru<em>  
><em>Izaya Izaya<em>  
><em>Mini yukan~"<em>

The music started slowing down and I ended the song by going on my knees and hiding my entire body with my umbrella. There was an explosion of cheers and whistles as I finished and I could tell more flowers and coins were being tossed onto the stage. I peeked out from behind my umbrella when all went quiet to see the guards all staring into space. Rioichi stood in front of one and waved his hand right in front of his face but the guard didn't respond.

He smiled and jumped up onto the stage as I stood, folding my fan and umbrella closed. "Did you enjoy yourself, Cooper Rioichi-Sama?" I asked tilting my head a bit to the side.

He smiled. "Yes, I did. Arigato Erica-chan." We both walked backstage where Murray grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. "Thanks for thinking of my pride, Erica." I smiled. "You are very welcome Murray."

"Let's get back to the hideout.' The hippo then said. 'But I gotta warn you Erica, you're gonna get an earful from Sly." I gulped; somehow I knew I was going to get more than an Earful...

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Time Skip~<em>  
>"WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?!" I was right... It was more like headache-ful. "Sly, I've done the exact same thing back in my worlds Japan. The Geisha's were helpful and taught me everything so that I could catch the guy who's been kidnapping them." "THIS ISN'T THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY! GEISHA GIRLS THEN AND NOW ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!"<p>

I looked over to the side, seeing Rioichi, Bentley and Murray looking at me with pity. "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME, ERICA?" I turned back to the grey-furred Raccoon in front of me. "I was. Then I realized that there is something more terrifying then some Guards hitting on me." "And what's that?" He asked his voice lowering though you could tell by his clenched, trembling fists and his red face he was still mad. "One word: Clockwerk."

The room became almost deadly quiet. "Clockwerk..." Sly muttered. He took off his hat and ran his hand over the fur on top of his head. "Sly, both times I saw him he looked directly at me. He didn't even give Rioichi a glance, and he was standing right beside me!' I looked down. 'He terrifies my, Sly." I whispered.

I felt his arms go around me. "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe. If I have to dismantle him again, I'll do it!" I looked up at his face. He was very handsome now that I had a closer look. Those eyes were just mesmerizing. They reminded me of Chocolate and he had a smell about him, the smell of dust after rain. I was so glad I still had that makeup on or he would see me blush. I watched from the corner of my eye as Bentley left to go outside while Rioichi took Murray to the kitchen. Then I remembered what he just said and pulled away from him a bit.

"But you had a Jetpack and Rockets then. And you were fighting over molten Lava that could melt even iron!' He opened his mouth to ask how I knew that when I said, ''Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus'. First Game in the series." He closed his mouth. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, keep forgetting I'm a Video Game Character in your world."

"Sly, I have to admit that I'm also scared for you." He raised an eyebrow. "Me? Why?" "Well, what if Clockwerk finds out you're from the future _and_ that you destroyed him, Hate Chip and all! What if in the future when he kills your family he might remember you and kill you with them!" He smiled at me. "That won't happen Erica." "But what if?"

"It won't. I'll be careful, for your sake." He then kissed my forehead. Now I was _REALLY_ glad for the makeup because the red I was turning put tomato's to shame.

Suddenly, Bentley said to me through the earpiece, "Erica, Come over to the Geisha House. I need you for something."

"Be right there Bentley!' I stepped from Sly's arms. 'Bentley needs me. I'll be back soon." He looked a bit disappointed... but why? "Alright. Just be careful and if El Jefe comes your way, don't confront him and hide." I nodded before heading to where Bentley was.

"I need you to distract El Jefe, grab the blueprints on his back and try to get him to reveal his plans."

I sighed but nodded, walking towards where the Tiger stood at the door. _'Sorry about breaking my promise, Sly.'_

"Konnichiwa, Tiger-san." He turned to me and asked, "Who are you?" "I am Madame Geisha's apprentice, Yukiko Fuyuko. Madame has gone to the next village to get some rare fabrics for a new Kimono. May I be of some service to you while she is away?" He looked me up and down a bit before smiling... or smirking. I couldn't tell with that cigar in his lips.

"I do believe you can." He took my hand and kissed it. Seeing the blueprints on his back, I grabbed them and tossed them to Bentley. He gave me a 'thumbs up' and I returned it before looking at El Jefe again. He stood to the side and gave a bow, gesturing for me to enter the Geisha House first. I inclined my head and walked past him into the House, but felt him give my rear a little smack as we entered.

_'Oh, boy! Sly will never let me out of his sight after this...'_


	4. Turning Japanese- Part Three

**A/N: Me:** Hello everyone! Sly had to go out on a mission so I have someone else here with me today.

**El Jefe:** _*tied to a chair growling*_

**Me:** _*placing her arm on his head like he doesn't care*_ Introducing the Villain of the Episode 'Turning Japanese': The Tiger El Jefe! Let's give the Villain a hand for once! _*scattered clapping*_ Eh, Tough crowd, tough crowd.

**El Jefe: _WILL YOU LET ME GO ALREADY?!_**

**Me:** Tisk, tisk, tisk. Patience is a Virtue. _*Turns to the readers*_ Now, I'm having Writers Block on 'Fire Emblem: True Awakening' and 'My New Life in Middle Earth'. I hope you can forgive me for that. _*Turns back to the Tied-Up Tiger*_ Listen El Jefe, If you can do the disclaimers for me I'll let you go.

**El Jefe:** _*sighs before turning to the readers*_ PhantomGirl17 _**DOES NOT**_ own the Sly Cooper game series, it's characters or plot. All Questions and Comments can be PMed to her or placed in the Review Box below. A bucket of water has been placed aside for Flamers and the like. She also thanks those who reviewed.

_*PG unties him right as Sly enters the room. The two see each other and immediately start fighting*_

**Me:** _*giggles whispering to the readers*_ I timed it just perfectly didn't I? Anyway Enjoy the Story! _*goes back to watching Sly and El Jefe fight.*_

* * *

><p><span><strong>IV: Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Turning Japanese-Part Three<strong>

_~Erica's POV~_  
>I led El Jefe to a room that I found open when I explored the place after my performance. I opened the door and bowed as he entered first. Closing the door behind me I took a quick glance around the room. It had a kitchenette and full tea set a floor table with pillows and a bed in one corner. I bit my lip, whispering to Bentley, <em>"Bentley Turtle, if you have a camera on me right now make sure to turn it off. I <em>don't_ want Sly _seeing or hearing any_ this."_ before asking the Tiger. "May I have your name Tiger-sama and would you like some tea?"

He sat down on one of the pillows, took the cigar out of his mouth and paced it on the ashtray that was on the table. "My name is El Jefe and yes, some tea would be nice. Jasmine if you don't mind. " I bowed to him and walked swiftly yet gracefully to the kitchenette preparing the tea. "Madame Geisha has said many good things about you, El Jefe-sama. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. I'm not allowed out of the Geisha House often, and I'm only in charge if the Madame is out to another village." I poured the hot water into the teapot and brought it to the table as the cups were already there. I poured the tea for him and a small cup for me.

"You'll have to forgive me. You're actually my first customer ever. Madame said she would let me start officially when she returned but it seemed like there was something on your mind so I decided to help you and listen if you would like me to." I lied skillfully, sitting on the pillow opposite of him. He nodded taking a sip of his tea. "Thank you, child. Tell me, what are you? You have no tail or beak or paws."

I looked away sadly. "I am one of the last of my kind. I was born in a country far from here but stolen when I was a little child and brought here to Japan. Madame Geisha found me running from my captors and offered me Sanctuary and an apprenticeship in her House. I'm sure you have heard the Legends and Tales about my people." His head snapped up and his eyes went wide. "You're Human?" I nodded.

We were both silent for a while drinking and me serving our tea. "You have something bothering you El Jefe-sama?" He set his cup down and walked over to me holding out his hand. Putting my cup down, I took it and he helped me stand. He walked over to the bed and sat me down on it. He then kneeled before me leaning his head on my legs. I slowly reached up and ran my fingers through the fur on top of his head. I held in the giggles as I heard him purr.

"I am just frustrated. All my plans seem to be falling apart. I had Rioichi Cooper in my grasp but he slipped away thanks to another Cooper and a strange Raccoon girl." "I'm sure you'll catch them." He purred louder when I began to scratch behind his ears, but then he grabbed my hand away from his head. I looked away muttering 'forgive me.' He took my face in his other paw and made me face him. He sat up and softly kissed me on the lips...

Wait... _**WHAT?!**_

He pulled away before I could respond to the kiss (not like I was going to), then kneeled down by my left leg and pushed some fabric of my Kimono out of the way. He lifted my bare foot and kissed from my ankle all the way up to my knee. "Forgive me, child." He pulled away. "What for?" I asked. "You are innocent. I have obviously taken your first kiss and I have taken some of your innocence just by kissing your leg. I may be, as many people say, a 'ruthless mercenary general', but I don't take advantage of innocents. Especially young _Female_ innocents."

I blushed, staring at him wide eyed. "Arigato, El Jefe-sama. I may be a Geisha Girl but I am also human. We value innocence greatly.' I pulled him to sit on the bed and began to massage his shoulders. 'Tell me what you want to. I won't judge you, for that is what Madame Geisha raised me to do."

With that he told me everything, and I mean _everything_, that involved him. When he was finished, I placed my head in his neck and hugged him. He held my arms for a bit before he stood up. Placing the swords on his back against the wall, he came back over to the bed and lied down. He pulled me down with him and said, "Stay with me just for the night." I was going to protest but he had already fallen asleep with his head on my chest and his tail wrapped around my legs.

When I was sure he was asleep, I contacted Bentley on my Binnocucom. _"Bentley, Ya there buddy?"_ I whispered, the other screen was completely fuzzy. I kept the lens looking in the direction of the kitchenette. Suddenly, the fuzzy screen became Sly. "Erica? What's going on? Where are you?"

_"Shh! Keep your voice down Cooper!'_ My eyes left the Binnocucom to see if the Tiger had woken up. _'Listen Sly, I'm bunked in an empty room at the Geisha House. I locked the door because El Jefe keeps coming round."_ He raised an eyebrow at me. _"So, you're basically trapped there til morning..."_ I bit my lip and focused my eyes on the Kitchenette. _"Basically. But I have all the necessity's I would need to spend the night."_

He was silent for a while. _"Alright. Get some sleep okay? I'll see you tomorrow."_ I nodded and Sly's face became fuzzy before being replaced by Bentley. _"Hey Erica! How's the mission going?"_ _"See for yourself."_ I replied turning the lens onto the Sleeping Tiger and his grip on me. _"Whoa!"_ _"Yeah, Whoa. Please don't tell Sly. I don't want another earful and headache-ful."_ He laughed. _"I won't tell him, I promise."_

"Anyway, I got him to tell me everything that involves him. I have a plan and since I can't do it because I'm stuck here, I'm leaving it all up to you. Do it tonight, because tomorrow's when we got to strike, right?'

I blinked and shook my head. _'Ignore the rhyme. Here's what you need to do..."_

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Time Skip~<em>  
>I opened my eyes to feel a cold bed beside me. I turned to see nothing but some gold coins, a rose and a note. The note was a simple thank you with a promise to praise me in front of Madame Geisha. I crumbled it and burned it over the fire-stove. I then left the room and past the Stage aria with rose and money in hand. I looked and saw that the money and flowers hadn't been cleaned up yet. Smiling, I gathered all the flowers and turned them into four large bouquets while the money was put in a bag.<p>

When I finally reached the hideout, I went in. "Bentley? Murray? Rioichi? Sly?" I looked around and saw some fresh Sushi sitting on the counter, but by the looks of the cut up seeds beside them, the sleeping potion was in them. I then smiled and contained my laughter when I saw three of the four still asleep in the beds by the corner. I chuckled at the sight. Murray was half hanging off the bed, Rioichi had kicked off the blankets and Bentley... was asleep in his wheelchair which I know was _definitely_ not comfortable.

I went over and hoisted Murray back onto the bed and tucked him in. I picked up the blanket Rioichi kicked off and wrapped it around him. I picked Bentley up from his wheelchair, took him out of his shell and placed him in his pajamas before tucking him into a bed, laying his shell in his wheelchair. I pushed the wheelchair over next to the bed so he could reach it when he woke. I looked at all three and kissed each of them on the forehead.

I couldn't see Sly anywhere. Placing the bouquets at the foot of their beds, I walked over to the spring nearby. Once there I began to wash the makeup off and undo my hair. I ran a hand through my hair to get all the tangles out but paused when I looked in the small mirror nearby and noticed something on my neck. _Please don't tell me that... that Tiger left a hickey?!_ I double checked and sighed when I saw it was just a small cut. No idea where or how I got it. Hopefully it wasn't something El Jefe did.

"Erica?" I turned and looked to see Sly, with no shirt on, a towel around his waist and one over his head drying the fur there. "Good morning Sly! How'd ya sleep?" He smiled. "Great! Today's the day we finally beat El Jefe. We'll be one step closer to restoring Cooper History!" I smiled at his enthusiasm then held out the last bouquet to him, blue cornflowers. I had wrapped it together with a blue ribbon and a small bag of all coins I earned for my performance and that El Jefe gave me attached to it. "Here. These are some that were given to me during my performance yesterday."

He took the flowers and looked at me with a question in his eyes. "I haven't got a chance to really thank you all for what you did for me. I've got a pretty good idea what would have happened if you hadn't shown up. Sooner or later I would've been caught and experimented on like a Lab Rat, everyone trying to figure out how I can turn into a Raccoon. I thought this would be a good start."

He hugged me. "Thanks Erica."

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Sly's POV~<em>  
>Erica hugged me back tightly. I looked at her seeing she was still in that Kimono and half her face still had makeup on it. I grabbed a wet towel nearby and helped her wipe off the rest of the makeup. "I think you might have gone overboard with the white." I said as I scrubbed off a bit on the back of her neck. "He he, yeah I wasn't sure if it was enough. I can't see the back of my neck after all." I smirked rolling my eyes. She shook her head as she wiped off the rest of the makeup off her face.<p>

I then saw a cut on her neck. It was deep but it wasn't bleeding. "How'd this happen?" I asked. She looked to see what I was talking about. "Not sure. I have an idea but I don't think its right." I grabbed a first aid kit. "Sit down and I'll bandage it up" She nodded and did as I asked. As I cleaned out the cut I asked, "What's your theory on how you got it?"

She looked at me from the corner of her eye. "I might have scratched it against a hook I was using to swing to a roof on the way back, but I don't know." She replied and winced a bit. "Sorry." I continued to clean it out and bandaged it. "There."

She got up and stretched, the Kimono she was wearing showing off her curves. I gulped and blushed quickly looking away. "I'm going to get changed then make breakfast for everyone. This will be our last day here with Rioichi." She kissed my cheek again muttering a 'thank you' to me before leaving to change. My blush got deeper and I groaned my head landing on the table in front of me. I had just realized I have feelings for Erica.

At first it was the whole 'Overprotective Big Brother' feelings, now it was 'School-Boy Crush' feelings. But I also still have strong feelings for Carmelita! I've heard of people falling in love with others so easily, I did with Carmelita after all... but this felt different then what I feel for Inspector Fox. Oh, Good Greif, I'm in the beginnings of a Love Triangle! I groaned again, rubbing my temples. "Sure, give me the Fiendish Five and I'm okay. Give me two girls, both whom are beautiful; one is a hybrid human-raccoon while the other is a fox, and I'm terrified!"

_~Erica's POV~_  
>When the others were awake and had eaten, Bentley gave us the 'low down'. "Alright we have all the intel we need. El Jefe has played dictator for the last time and it's time to <em>Bring Him Down<em>!' We nodded in agreement. Bentley then pulled up his touchscreen computer and showed us everything we would need for the final strike. 'First, we need to open those Dragon Gates, thanks for taking a picture of them by the way Erica. Thanks to Rioichis' 'Special' Sushi Rolls, the guards are out for the count. Sly, you'll need to gain access to the switches in their mouths. Next, we'll need to open the Palace Sword Gate. However the bridge is crawling with Guards so we'll need to create a diversion. Murray, you, Sly and myself will need to distract my Guards. Once they're occupied, Rioichi and Erica can make their way under the bridge to the switch and open the gate.' I looked at Rioichi who smiled at me. 'Once we get that gate open, there's nothing stopping us from taking the Place and putting El Jefe in his place."

I laughed. "Viva la Révolution!" The others cheered and laughed in agreement. After I changed into my Cooper Form, we all left for the Dragon Gates. I saw all the guards but one were dead asleep. I snuck up to the guard and pick pocketed the key from him. I then tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me..." When he turned around, I punched him in the nose so hard that he lost a tusk and a few teeth. He went crossed-eyed and fell down backwards unconscious with a dumb smile on his face.

I bent down and picked up the tusk. I turned to the others and held up the tusk with a smirk. They laughed and I handed the key to Sly. "Okay Sly, use those rollers to open the Dragon Mouth. You'll find the switches somewhere inside. And don't forget your armor! Something tells me those Dragons have Bad Breath." Bentley said. Sly nodded and walked to the first roller. After unlocking it with the key, he walked on the roller and the mouth of the first Dragon opened. I looked inside the Dragon's mouth but jumped back when a Fireball flew towards me.

"Whoa! Bad Breath's got nothing on Fire Breath!" I muttered. Sly put on his armor and used his shield to direct the fireball towards the switch. The Dragon head twitched then slammed closed, it's eyes glowing red and dark smoke coming from its nose. He then went and did the same with the other Dragon Head and the Gate opened.

Sly and I looked at each other and nodded. I pulled out my cane and held it tight in my hand as we walked through the gate. Suddenly we stopped at a strange noise. Looking up and to our left, we watched as a giant Blimp started to go higher and higher in the sky. I saw a symbol on the side of the Blimp and silently gasped, my hand going to a brand on my lower back. I haven't told anyone that Le Paradox had branded me as his property. I was scared what the others would think if they knew.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked to see Sly. "Something wrong Erica?" The others looked at me in confusion. I looked at them then at Blimp as it was going higher and higher. "I know that Blimp. It's the same one I was trapped in for months. The same one where I became half Coon. The same one where I made my cane.' I gave a small smile, though a sad one. 'The one where I decided to take up the name of Cooper and honor the family that never has and probably never will exist in that world. That Blimp belongs to Cyrille Le Paradox."

Sly squeezed my shoulder and I gave him a small smile. "We'll get him. Let's get his minion El Jefe first." I nodded with a determined look on my face. We rushed over to the Palace Swords Gate only to see El Jefe on the other end. He smirked at us and said, "Ha, ha! End of the line, Cooper!' He took a puff from his cigar before yelling, 'Get them you fools!"

Suddenly the gate closed and Le Paradox's rat minions appeared. "Ok, you all know what to do...' Bentley said. 'Time to kick some butt!" He raised his arms in the air in excitement. Murray punched his hand saying, "My favorite time of the day!" I smirked at the two male Raccoons beside me. "Shall we Rioichi-san?" he nodded and we both went over to the edge of the bridge. Hopping over, Rioichi gave a salute and wink to Sly before we both jumped down to a small cliff.

"Erica, if you don't mind, I'm going to teach you my Special Technique: The Leaping Dragon." I raised my eyebrows in shock. "But I thought only Coopers could learn that technique!" He shook his head. "You're the exception." I smiled at him. "Sly's going to be so jealous, you know that right?" He just smirked.

"First, you use the Ninja Spire Jump technique. Then you focus your energy and direct it towards your target. Then you release it jumping to your target. Watch me." He jumped onto a tree branch and demonstrated the technique. Once he was on a safe platform he yelled out. "Now you try." I nodded.

I Spire Jumped onto the tree branch he had. Closing my eyes, I focused my energy directing it to the tree near Rioichi. With a burst of courage, I jumped, releasing the energy. I landed on the branch near Rioichi and jumped down next to him. "Very Good. Just keep practicing and you'll get it." I nodded and we continued on. We reached the gate where we found a roller opened the gate. After Rioichi and I walked over the roller opening the gate, we jumped onto a net hanging nearby and climbed to the cliff near the bridge and jumped back up onto it.

We were met with Murray, Bentley and Sly standing next to a pile of unconscious rats. Murray was flexing and Bentley's wheelchairs' mechanical hands were messaging his shell. Sly straitened from his couch winked at us. Rioichi and I looked at each other and smiled before we continued on. I rushed ahead in front with Rioichi when suddenly both Rioichi and I were jumped from above. El Jefe had us both by the neck and lifted us up off the ground. With one hand, he tossed Rioichi into the air and grabbed his cane before punching Rioichi in the chest, which sent him flying backwards. "Ha! It's mine!" "My cane!"

El Jefe placed the cane on his back before turning to me. "Ah, Earth's Famous Cooper Thief! Yes I know who you are. The Boss informed me that you might have found a way to this dimension.' He pulled me close and whispered into my ear. _'You make a very lovely Geisha Girl. I did leave you my mark.'_" My eyes widened at what he said as his other clawed hand touched the bandage Sly put on that cut this morning. Then he spoke so the others could hear, 'As much as I'm sure my Boss would like his little experiment back, I can't take you with me. So my Innocent Little Child, here's my goodbye." That's when he kissed me on the lips fearcely, the complete opposite to the one he gave me last night.

He then threw me over to where Sly and the others were. I rolled on the floor and was stopped by Sly and Rioichi's feet. Both Coopers helped me to my feet with furious looks on their faces. El Jefe then took both his swords from his back and ran to the other side of the wooden bridge, the tips of his blades running along the wooden boards. When he reached the other side, the bridge was on fire and collapsing from the sparks his sword left. "Sorry Cooper... you lose! I need to deliver this puny stick to a new owner!" With that, the Tiger turned and left.

"No!' Bentley cried. 'El Jefe's getting away!" Sly looked to Rioichi. "Don't worry, Rioichi. Watch after these three. I'm going to kick some tiger tail and get your cane back!" Rioichi nodded. I stepped forward to go with Sly ignoring the fact Sly said 'three', but Sly held his arm out. "You're not going." "WHAT?!"

Sly looked at me with fury in his eyes. "Don't think that Rioichi and I didn't hear what that Tiger said about you being a beautiful Geisha Girl and that he left his mark on you." I winced, rubbing the bandage on my neck. "It was my idea, Sly.' Bentley said sticking up for me. 'I needed to get the blueprints from El Jefe without him knowing and I needed to know what his plans were. I saw for myself he just fell asleep on top of her and did nothing to her besides give her that cut while she slept."

Sly calmed down a bit. "We'll talk about it later. Right now I'm going to take all my anger out on this Jungle King Wannabe."

I sighed before hugging him from behind. "Be careful and don't you dare die on me, Sly Cooper. I'll be waiting for you to come home... Big Brother." I said knowing that he thought of me just as a Sister and not anything more. He seemed shocked, but returned the hug before Spire Jumping to the other side.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Sly's POV~<em>  
><em>'She called me Big Brother...'<em> That was what was going on in my head as I Spire Jumped closer to El Jefe. That's probably all she thinks of me. But part of me thinks she likes me more than that and believes I only think of her as a sister. I shook my head and opened the doors to the statue of the tiger who stole Erica's first kiss.

Walking in, I looked up at the large statue in front of me. On a throne at the statues feet was El Jefe, petting a pigeon. "Hahaha! Hey, Cooper, what do you think of my statue?"

I crossed my arms, glancing up at it. "Heh, It looks like a real pigeon magnet." I said finishing with a smirk. El Jefe's face dropped and he smacked the pigeon on the armrest away. Poor thing. "Bah! I hope you can fly like a pigeon, Cooper. Otherwise...' He said jumping up to a rope above the throne. 'you'll never catch me!"

He sliced the bottom of the rope with his sword and up he went. "We'll see about that!" I yelled up to him before trying to find a way to the top. When I finally go there, El Jefe was waiting for me and to add to the battle factor...

It was raining... Figures...

I looked around and was a bit freaked out when I saw how close I was to the statues head... and how ugly it looked. Seriously, nothing impressive about it.

"A magnificent likeness isn't it, Cooper?' I heard and found the tiger on the top of the head. 'Almost as handsome as the real thing!" he boasted.

I scoffed. "Yeah, it looks almost big enough to contain your over-inflated ego." I yelled up to him. He took a puff from his cigar before saying, "Take a nice, long look. I want you to remember the one' He took his cigar and snuffed it out in his other hand. 'who crushed you!"

I walked along the wooden platform. "Looks to me like you've got nowhere left to run, El Jefe. Ready to face me now?" I asked spreading my arms wide, kinda inviting him to come and try to get me.

"Hahaha! Sticking up for the family, eh Cooper? Too bad you'll never see any of them again!"

My face fell as that hit me right near the heart. The fact that if I failed all Coopers throughout History would disappear.

"And Erica, sweet, innocent Erica. Perhaps when you and your family are gone, I can have her to myself!"

Now THAT got me mad. "YOU WILL _NEVER_ TOUCH ERICA AGAIN!"

He laughed. "Hahahaha! Oh Cooper, you've climbed so high and now...' he jumped off the top of the statues head and slid down a thick rope to a wooden platform nearby. 'You're gonna fall!"

I immediate started forward towards him, Spire Jumping on the nearby ropes. _'What the...?'_ I jumped out of the way as a fireball was hurled towards me. He can shoot _Fire Balls_? Great...

Right when I reached him he back-flipped and ran! What a coward! I continued after him avoiding the fire. When I finally reached him again, I found him sitting in the middle of the platform, legs crossed and his back towards me. "You know something, Cooper?' he asked lowly. 'You're actually starting to annoy me."

I gave him a fake pitying look. "Oh, don't worry. I have that affect on all cowardly crime lords." He turned his head and growled, his pupils' small. I smirked at him and decided to dig the wound a bit deeper. "El Jefe. Isn't that Spanish for 'Big Baby'?"

He stood up brandishing both his swords. "Bah! Enough of these games!" He gave a loud roar before slamming his swords into the floor at his feet causing a wave of fire to come towards me. I easily jumped over it. But then he summoned _lightning_ and tried to hit me with that. I admit I got shocked once or twice, but I got back up again. He then threw a fireball at me. I dodged the first but I grabbed my Samurai armor and used my shield to knock it back at him. With him unsteady on his feet, I took the chance and started whacking him with my cane.

He jumped back and ran but I followed, avoiding more fireballs. "BURN COOPER!" he screamed and I muttered to myself, "For such a tough guy, he sure runs away a lot."

Our battle continued this way: he throws fire and lightning at me, I get shock or burned a bit, he throws a fireball that I deflect back at him with my shield, I knock him silly with my cane and he runs away. He did call me a few rude names like 'Estupido Rata!', but I guess I've heard worse.

"Hey Cooper- How do you like my "crane" style? Hahahahaha!" I shook my head. "I don't know what's scarier: El Jefe or his Lame Jokes.' Suddenly a thought came to me. 'Maybe if I get some Catnip he'll stop running away."

Finally, I was able to knock him down saying what I admit was a cheesy line, "How do _you_ like my _'Cane'_ style?" He fell unconscious saying one word, "Im... possible!" I smirked, happy that it was over. I walked over to grab Rioichi's cane, but then something round fell from nowhere, bounced on floor before rolling to a stop. I frowned when I heard a beep and saw green smoke coming from it. My eyes widened when I saw the symbol of those Rat Exterminators that Le Paradox hired on it. I ran over to the edge of the platform and jumped down right as it went off.

Two of those Rats came down from a rope and took the cane. I looked up at the blimp above me and scowled at the Shadow of who I knew was Le Paradox. As the blimp left and the Rats grabbed onto the Rope, one of them dropped an old Sheriffs Badge. I caught the badge before sorrowfully watching the blimp disappear in time.

I returned to the group, dragging the tiger behind me. I arrived to see Erica teaching Rioichi how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors. "Sly!" Bentley cried as he wheeled over with Murray who, seeing El Jefe, began tying him up. I looked sadly at Rioichi. "I'm so sorry Rioichi. Le Paradox threw a smoke bomb, had his minions grab your cane and take off." Rioichi sighed. "What matters is you did your best, Sly-san. And that you unharmed. I can always make a new cane."

We both heard snickering. We turned to see Erica trying hard not to outright laugh. "I'm sorry you two but there will be no need for you to do that Rioichi." She reached behind her and pulled out Rioichi's cane, still in perfect condition.

"My Cane!' Rioichi grabbed it and examined it, as if seeing if it really was his. 'But how...?" Erica smiled. "I figured out that Le Paradox want's all the ancestors' canes from the game. I've just been waiting for the right time to tell you all. You know: Time Paradoxes and all that stuff.' She stood up brushing invisible dirt off of her. 'When El Jefe confirmed my suspicions last night I asked Bentley to make and exact replica of your cane, down to the tiniest detail. While you carried the Decoy around all this time, I kept your Real Cane safely stowed away with mine." There was a pause in the air before Rioichi swooped Erica into a hug. "Arigato, Erica-chan. I shall be eternally grateful to you." She smiled and returned the hug.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>We returned to Rioichi's Sushi restaurant to celebrate, and what a celebration it was! There was Sushi by the tons and the villagers were happy that Rioichi was back in business. But I knew we couldn't stay for long. We all said our goodbyes to Rioichi, but none were more tearful then Erica's. Seems like she found something of a Mentor figure. I was glad for her.<em>

_El Jefe was defeated, disgraced, and delivered to the cops. But it was a Hollow victory. Le Paradox got away. Even though the Cane Le Paradox took was a fake, I was kinda scared about what might happen if Erica doesn't manage to make exact copies of the canes the rest of my ancestors had. I was very happy to have her here now._

_We contacted Demetri for an update on the Thievius Raccoonus, and it looked like Tennessee Kid Cooper needed our help next. That meant we needed to travel back to the eighteen eighty's._

_Luckily one of the goons that took the Rioichi's Fake Cane had dropped what looked like an old Sheriffs Badge. Bentley had been trying to figure where it might be from, but now it all made sense. After sampling the badge, Bentley was able to calibrate the Time Machine. As we prepared to make the Jump back to the Old West, I found myself wondering how Carmelita was doing._

_~Erica's POV~_  
><em>As we hurled through the Time Vortex, I finished<em>

_'Turning Japanese' in the game and watched as in both the game and real life a picture fell from its place on the visor of the passenger-side of the van. I watched sadly as Sly in both the game and in front of me looked at it. It was of him and Inspector Carmelita Fox under the Eiffel Tower. Carmelita was holding a rose in her hand with a shocked expression as Sly kissed her cheek._

_Part of me broke. I admit it! I had been trying to hold back the whole 'School-Girl-Crush' I had on the Cooper Raccoon to end up with even deeper feelings. Sure, I was shocked when he went all 'Overprotective Big Brother' on me when I first returned from the Geisha House. But as time went on and after the beating he gave El Jefe in front of me when the tiger woke and tried to attack me, showed how far he was willing to go to protect me._

_It basically made me love him more..._

_I looked up at Bentley. He and I had become like Older, smarter brother and Younger, will-need-to-ask-for-help-with-her-homework sister. We had come to an understanding and we kept each other's secrets. He looked at me and, by the look on his face; he knew my feelings to the Gangs Leader. He glanced at the picture of Carmelita that Sly had then back at me. I shook my head as if saying that I won't get in the way of Sly's relationship with the fox._

_I had already been broken when Le Paradox took everything and everyone from me. What's a little more breakage to my glass heart?_


	5. Go West Young Raccoon- Part One

**A/N:** **Me:** Hi everyone! Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Anyway, Bentley is here with me this time. Say hi Bentley.

**Bentley:** _*waves*_ Greetings Everyone!

**Me:** I'm kinda in a rush because my family is planning a movie Marathon of all the Harry Potter Movies. So Bentley is going to do my stuff in my absence! So Bye! _*runs out leaving a cloud of dust behind*_

**Bentley:** _*face palm*_ Oy Vey! Anyway, PhantomGirl17 **_DOES NOT_** own the Sly Cooper series, it's characters or plot. All Questions, Comments and Reviews can either be posted in the Review section below. My wheelchair has been equipped with ten buckets of water for any Flamers with Rude Comments and Snide Remarks that might come this way. Also she would like to thank **the Mr. Fishy**_**, antaurilover684**_ and the others for their comments! PG LOVES them!

Anyway, enjoy the first part of _'Go West Young Raccoon'_!

_*Presses a button on his wheelchair and the screen goes black with the Sly Cooper symbol appears in the middle of the screen, like the loading screen in the game*_

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><p><span><strong>V: Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Go West Young Raccoon- Part One<strong>

_We arrived in the Wild West to look for my ancestor, Tennessee Kid Cooper. A Legendary Outlaw whose Bank Robberies were some of the most daring in Cooper lore. When we arrived, it took some time, to locate him but we eventually found him... in Prison._

_His arrest was the handiwork of the local Sheriff who had celebrated by posting his own picture all over town. Talk about an ego. We needed to bust Tennessee out of jail, but after some furious calculation, Bentley determined that the_

_Best way to do that was from the Inside!_

_For the first time in my career (and Erica's as well) I was gonna have to_

_let the law catch me!_ _This could be a real challenge..._

**_Sly and Erica Cooper in: Go West Young Raccoon- *Cotton Mouth Bluff 1884 A.D.*_**

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><em>~Erica's POV~<em>  
>Our hideout this time was in a large Clock tower, right behind the face itself. Being as we just finished unpacking, we all settled down to sleep because it was late and all of us were tired. I however couldn't sleep no matter how hard I tried. I climbed up to the very top of the tower and looked out over the entire place. In the moonlight, the town looked peaceful.<p>

I saw the prison not too far from where I was and I saw a light in one of the windows. Pulling out my Binnocucom, I zoomed in on it to see who the 'Night Owl' was. My eyes widened. Tennessee Kid was looking out the barred window of his cell. I used my Binnocucom to survey the area and I saw a cliff I could get to and easily climb, then all I would have to do would be to hoist myself onto the sill of the window. I wouldn't meet him in Cooper form I might needed to wait for the breakout tomorrow for that.

Nodding to myself, I went back inside and wrote a quick note that I would be back by mourning. Turning human and putting my glasses on, I left the hideout. Reaching the cliff, I hit a button on my cane where the single hook became two. I used these to climb to the top of the cliff and saw Tennessee was now looking through the tiny window by the door. With a small jump I reached the window sill. I casually sat down, back against the wall, one leg hanging and swinging over the edge and the other pulled up to my chest and against the bars. I pulled out of my pocket a Songbird Ocarina, placed it to my lips, closed my eyes and began to play a soft yet oddly Western song.

When I finished the song, I looked through the bars at the Grey-furred Coon, who was looking at me. I put the Ocarina away and turned to him tipping my hat. "Pleasure to meet ya, Tennessee Kid Cooper."

He cautiously came towards me. "Now who and, if ya don't mind me askin', _what_ are ya?" I smiled gently. "The name is Erica. Erica Monica Thomason. And I'm a human... or at least I was until a year or so ago." I reached into my pocket and pulled out a two bowls with lids on them. Taking off the lids reveled steaming hot Texas Style Pot Pie. I handed him one along with a fork.

He took it and sat by the window to eat. "Well Miss Thomason, mind if I ask you a couple of questions?" I took a bite out of my pot pie before saying, "Fire Away!" "Well, for starters, how'd you get up to that window there?" I chuckled. "Well, to tell that I need to tell you a story. My friends and I just came to town ya see. My Friend is actually a relative and fan of yours from across the Atlantic. He heard that you were in the 'Stony Lonesome' so we are planning to bust you out tomorrow.' I took another bite before continuing. 'Sly is the one that's your relative, a True Cooper if I ever saw one! Bentley's the Brains, Murray is the Brawns and the only girl of the official team who calls herself 'The Cooper Thief' is a bit of everything.'

'She's been honoring your family's Name in her hometown. You should see the treasure trove she has collected in the Cooper Name, it could fill this entire Jail full and it would still not be enough." Tennessee almost had a spit take. "Ya mean ta tell me that a non-Cooper has been stealing in my family's Name?" I nodded and pulled my cane out from behind me. "Yeah. I just "Borrowed" her cane to get up here. I couldn't sleep and started looking around from the roof when I saw a light in this window. I decided to come and keep whoever would be up this late company, and bring them some of what I had left over from when I made dinner."

He took another bite. "Well it's a good meal so I'm much obliged.' He tipped his hat to me. 'Ya said they were planning to get me out of here tomorrow?" I nodded finishing my last bite. "Yeah. So no need to worry, just one more night and then you're free!" "What didja mean when ya said you were human or was until a year or so ago?"

"The Boss of the guy that put you in here kidnapped me and killed all my family, friends everyone I ever met or came in contact with. He did some experimenting on me when I refused to help with his plans. I escaped after a month or so and started putting all that he did to me to good use. Meaning, since the Cooper family does not exist there,' I went into Cooper Form wincing in pain a bit. 'I stole in their place. I'm the Cooper Thief."

He starred at me in shock before he laughed. "Gosh darn it! I should've known! Only someone with Cooper skills can climb up a cliff that strait! You may not be one by blood but ya got Cooper in ya!" I laughed. "I hope so or I won't be any help to Sly or you tomorrow!' I looked out to the East seeing some colors there. 'I better go. I promised I would be back before full dawn. Sly's gotten all 'Overprotective Big Brother' on me before, I don't wanna push my luck on that again." He handed me back his empty bowl and fork.

"Much obliged, Miss Thomason."

"Call me Erica. 'Miss' makes me feel old."

"Alright then, mind givin' me a hint on how yall gonna bust me out of here?"

I placed a finger to my lips and winked. "Now where's the fun in that? Oh, and so they don't know I was here, when we come, pretend this whole conversation never happened." I shook his hand through the bars and he kissed the back of mine before I left back for the hideout.

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><em>~Sly's POV~<em>  
>Erica, in her Raccoon Form, and I were waiting for Bentley to contact us I asked where she went that mourning. "I heard the Saloon was open late at night. I went and had me a sarsaparilla." I nodded. Bentley called us and we looked through our Binnocucoms. "Sly, Erica, they're already rigging a noose for Tennessee, so we don't have time for a complicated plan. All my data points to one thing- The quickest route inside that prison is to get yourself arrested!"<p>

"Get myself arrested?' I said asked in shock. 'I trust you Bentley, but I'm not sure about getting locked up in this town."

"Sorry you guys. It's the only way we're going to reach Tennessee in time. There's just one problem..." "Which is?" Erica asked. "They're holding Kid Cooper in the Maximum Security wing. To get yourself thrown in there, you're going to have to gain 'Outlaw' status, so you need to make sure you build a rep before they catch you! Otherwise, they'll throw you in with the common criminals."

Sly made a disgusted face. "Ugh. You mean like, jaywalkers and litterbugs? Not gonna happen."

"I think it's more like goat thieves and tobacco spitters, Sly." Erica said.

"Right, for starters you two, why don't you try defacing all those posters of the sheriff around town? That oughta put a burr under his saddle.' I rolled my eyes. 'Get it? Because we're in the Old West?' Erica raised an eyebrow at him. 'Anyway, I'll just let you get started."

We cut the connection and the two of us looked at each other and nodded before we grabbed paint buckets and spit up taking three posters each. Reaching the first one, I put on my 'Thinking Cap'. The first poster I came across was of an armadillo lifting 1000 pound weights. Beneath the podium he stood on was the word 'MIGHT' and above him was a blue banner saying 'TOOTHPICK'...

Who names their kid _'Toothpick'_?

Picking up a blue and yellow paintbrush I started my Masterpiece.

"Find a poster, make it look goofy and move on.' I sighed. 'Just like Junior High." The finished product was of Toothpick holding up some daisy's while trying not to fall and get eaten by a monster with lots of sharp teeth, and underneath I wrote: **'MIGHTy dumb'**. "I'd buy that one!" I heard Bentley say. "Not for sale!" I laughed.

"Guy's I sent a picture of my first Masterpiece to your Binnocucoms." I heard Erica say. Looking, I laughed. The Before picture was of Toothpick in the famous 'Thinker' pose with the word 'THINKS' beneath it. The After picture had him cross-eyed with nose hairs sticking out and an arrow in his head. The word 'THINKS' had been replaced with **'stINKS'**.

"Oh, he's gonna hate that one!" Bentley said and I agreed. "Let's hope so." Erica said before moving on.

The next poster I came to said 'WISE' and had Toothpick holding a scale and scrolls. "If I was as homely as _this guy_, I would not hang my picture everywhere." In the end it was of him holding a fish, in his underpants and the word **'unWISE'** beneath him.

The next pictures Erica sent us was of him showing off his 'muscles' with the word 'STRONG' underneath. The new picture had him wearing nerdy glasses, a droop in both his arms and the word **'wRONG'** underneath it. "It's an improvement right?" She asked.

I laughed. My last poster was of Toothpick smiling and said 'BOLD'. As I painted, I wondered, "What kind of Sheriff puts up posters of _himself_?!" The finished product was Toothpick in nerdy glasses, buck teeth and the _'B'_ knocked out to make the new word **'OLD'**. "Nice work Sly. You're a regular Picasso." Bentley commented. "Thanks! I love a challenge. I call it 'Ten Star Loser'!"

I followed the signal of Erica's Binnocucom to where she was. Suddenly something hooked around my neck and I was pulled behind a crate. I looked to see Erica smirking at me, taking her cane from my neck. "I've always wanted to give someone 'the hook'." "Ha, ha." I said sarcastically. Still snickering, Erica showed me the before picture. Toothpick was riding a horse, hat in one hand and the word 'AGILE' underneath. I looked up to see some bulls laughing at the new poster. Toothpick was now in a full-body cast, little 'x's over his eyes and the word was replaced with **'frAGILE'**.

"I think you two just reached _'Trouble-Maker'_ status you two!" Bentley said. The bulls continued laughing til an armadillo in a vest, belt and cowboy hat came over. He pushed the bulls out of the way and said, "Now this really chaps my hide! I'm gonna find this 'artiste' and _**BUST HIS THUMBS!**_ And maybe his pinkie." Yup, that was definitely Toothpick.

Bentley contacted us again. "Heh heh, we definitely got under his skin, you two. Ya'll ready for phase two?"

We nodded. "Absolutely!"

"Apparently, the sheriff also loves lollipops, but his favorite is a particular Cuban variety which has to be shipped in specially.' He placed hand on the side of his mouth and said like it was a secret, 'Supposedly they taste like rice and beans."

"Ew, Gross!" I said. "I like rice with a bit of butter and salt and I like beans when they're Black Beans mashed up, made into a patty, grilled and served up like a hamburger, but together? Blah!" Erica said sticking out her tongue with a disgusted noise.

"Black Bean Burger, eh? Maybe you can make them while we're here. Anyway, if we clean him out, he'll have to wait _weeks_ for the next shipment, and that should really tick him off!" Bentley signed off.

Erica and I nodded to each other and found the case easily. I broke the lock and Erica took the lollipop out. She looked at it curiously then gave it a lick. Smacking her lips a little bit she said, "It's kinda like those candies they sell in that one theme park in Orlando, Florida back home. Except there, it's Jelly Beans and they have every single flavor. And I _mean_ every single flavor."

I took it and licked the other side. "Hmm, I bet Murray would like it."

"Great job you two! You just obtained _'Criminal'_ Status." Bentley said. We headed towards a high standing rock point where directly to our right was a bridge for a train, and on it was a Banner that said, 'Viva Toothpick!'

"Alright, this is going perfectly! You two will be locked up in no time!" Bentley said jumping up and down in his wheelchair.

"Uh, Bentley, I think you're a little too excited about sending us to the slammer." Erica said and I nodded in agreement.

"It's all about the job, Erica. Speaking of which, in case you hadn't noticed, this Sheriff Toothpick is his own biggest fan! In fact, it looks like he's throwing himself a festival and it's in full swing! If you two take that banner down, I'm sure it will be the final straw."

"Right.' We put our Binnocucoms up and looking at Erica I said, 'Let's go rain on this guy's parade!"

She smirked and then slid down a wire to one side of the banner that was hanging from a wire and I went to the other. "You knock one, I'll knock one and we'll meet in the middle. Agreed?" Erica's voice rang in my earpiece. "Agreed."

I knocked my cane against one of the clips holding it up and Erica knocked the one on the other side. Reaching the center, we both nodded and together we grabbed the clip and released the Banner.

We watched it float slowly down on top of some poor souls' hea... Wait... it landed on Toothpick... Never mind.

A bunch of Bulls aimed their machine guns at us but Toothpick stopped them. "Hold your fire, boys! That there's the scribbin', lolly-thievin' outlaws I been lookin' for!"

Erica wrapped her arms around my waist, making me blush, and looked down at Toothpick and stuck her tongue out at him. "Let me just tell ya Toothy, that Lollipop sure was delicious!" He really got steamed up by that and we both snickered at his read face. I jumped off the wire and used the Paraglider to land behind them, Erica's arms wrapped tight around me.

When we landed, Erica grabbed out canes and Binnocucoms, winked at me and hid them somewhere on her person. "Ah! Well, amigos, you two just booked yourselves a permanent room in the **stony lonesome!**"

Suddenly two guards grabbed Erica and pulled her from me while I was put in the classic black and white striped prisoners outfit, hat and all. Erica was put into one as well but it was a dress with a rope belt and pants beneath the skirt. I looked our outfits over before shrugging at Erica. The guards grabbed her wrists and slapped some irons on her, tight enough to bruise really bad if her wince was anything to go by.

I held out my arms for my irons, but my eyes went wide when I instead got a large iron ball whose shackle and chain was strapped to my ankle. I sighed as Erica snickered. "You poor thing." I heard her say in my earpiece.

We were about to enter the prison doors when Toothpick stated, "Take Mr. Ball-And-Chain to the tower. I have a special place for this young Lady." My eyes widened and I dropped my Ball and tried to get to Erica but was held back by some bulls while some Coyotes' held her back. She struggled trying to get to me, yelling my name through the gag they tied around her mouth. I continued to struggle to get to her long after her cries were faint and the door towards her locked tight.


	6. Go West Young Raccoon- Part Two

**A/N: **_*PG is all by her lonesome*_

**Me: **I'm here all by myself tonight and it's_** 12:30 AM**_. Everyone else is asleep and I don't want to wake anyone up so I'll be quick. I **_DO NOT _**own the Sly Cooper franchise or anything related to it. I only own my OC Erica. _Questions, Comments and Reviews can be PMed to me or left in the Review Box._ A bucket of water is always here for the Flamers. And Thank you all who read and comment on my story.

**Sly: **_*enters the room and says*_ What are you still doing up? _*using his cane, he grabs her and starts dragging her out of the room*_ Time for Bed.

**Me: **Enjoy the Chapter! _*presses a button on the wall and the screen goes to the Loading screen seen in Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time*_

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><p><span><strong>VI: Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Go West Young Raccoon Part 2<strong>

_~Tennessee Kid's POV~_  
>I sat there waitin' for Erica and my 'relative' to arrive. I knew Erica insisted that this 'Sly' was a relative of mine but words don't do much. I was sitting by the window, my feet up on a barrel, a bit of a toothpick between my lips and my hat tipped over my eyes when the door opened. A young Grey-furred Raccoon in the standard prisoners outfit an' a ball and chain was thrown in and he landed on his stomach with the ball landing on his back. I shook my head, poor fella.<p>

The door slammed shut as he stood up and grabbed the bars in the window on the door. "I SWEAR IF YOU HURT ERICA IN ANYWAY, YOU'LL HAVE SOME ANGRY COOPERS AFTER YOUR HIDE!" Wait... did he say Erica? A snarl crawled its way onto my mouth. _'Now what did that no-good, lolly-lickin' armadillo do to that sweet Gal?'_

The Coon banged his fist on the door muttering 'Dang it!' before turning to see me. I tipped my hat up a bit to look him in his brown eyes. He slowly walked over to me and said, "Uh, Howdy..." "Howdy yourself. Looks like you must have ticked ol' Toothpick off pretty good.' I gave a small smile. 'I like that. You got a name?"

He nodded. "It's Sly. Sly Cooper." I pulled my feet off the barrel, sat up and gave him a stern look. "Now Son, you should know I don't take kindly to folks funnin' on my family name." I said hotly. He took a step back and raised his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!' he placed a hand on his heart and raised the other in a pledge-like way. 'I swear I'm not joking. I can explain..."

"Talk ain't worth spit, Boy!' I interrupted him jumping up to stand. 'Only one way to prove you're a Cooper- Bust us outta here!" He sat back on the ball. "Right. My friend Bentley's working on that... I hope."

There was silence for a while until I decided to ask. "Son, what was that you were yellin' at those guards about?" His calm face suddenly became very angry. "They separated me and Erica. Toothpick said he had a "Special Place" for her." I frowned. "If I know Toothpick, he wouldn't take two prisoners and separate them. He would keep them together and torture one in front of the other."

Sly suddenly stiffened. He picked up the ball swung it around a bit from the chain before throwing at a wall, destroying it. He picked up the ball again, turned to me and said, "I'll be back in a minute." Before he jumped out of the hole. After a few minutes, the trap door beneath my feet opened and Sly's head popped up. "Shall we?"

I smirked and jumped down with him. Running out the door he broken down, I said, "Alright! I guess 'Break Time' is over!" He smiled. "Before we leave, do you mind if we rescue Erica?" I smiled. I could see love in his eyes as he said her name. "Sure, we'll rescue your Gal." He blushed and started stuttering. "S-she's not my Gal! She's my girlfriend. ! I-I mean she's a Friend that's a Girl..." "Sure she is..."

He shook his head. "Let's just go!" I nodded and followed him, still smirking, though he struggled with the Ball. "Why am _I_ the only one with a Ball and Chain here?" he huffed. "Listen friend, they're plannin' on hanging me tomorrow. _Ya wanna trade?_" He shook his head and started looking through cells. Suddenly we heard chains rattling. We looked into one cell and we saw Erica.

She was a Raccoon this time and hanging by her wrists from the ceiling. The tips of her feet barely touched the ground and they were tied at the ankles. Her clothes were slightly bloody and ripped, it was a sight that made Sly and myself tremble with anger. Let's hope whatever was done to her can be easily healed. Else Toothpick better hope the two of us don't catch him on his lonesome. If we do, the two of us will skin him live.

She bit her lip looking up to her wrists before hanging her head and sighing. "My wrists are gonna really hurt after this." She wiggled her feet a bit and got them both out of the rope. She took a deep breath, her hands gripped the chains above her, and then she started swinging. After the third swing forward, she swung her legs and grabbed them taking something from her boot before dropping them so she was strait again.

In her hand was a lock pick. She picked the lock on her wrists before she dropped to the ground. She rubbed her wrists a bit before pulling two canes and some weird binoculars out from somewhere we couldn't see. Probably hid it in her tail. She looked up and smiled at us and smiled. "Sly! Knew you would get here." Sly bust the door down with the ball, tossed it to me before rushing to her. I struggled to hold up the ball as he pulled her into his arms. She hugged him back before she handed him what seemed to be his cane and one of the binoculars. "Let's go."

He led her over as he ripped a bit of his outfit to wrap up her bruised wrists. "Erica, this is Tennessee Kid Cooper." She smiled at me as I tossed the ball back to Sly. "A pleasure to meet ya, Ma'am." I said as I tipped my hat, kissed the back of her hand and winked. She smiled at me as she glanced at Sly who was silently glaring at us. "Alright enough chit chat. Let get out of here." He turned and walked off. Erica and I glanced at each other and smirked before following.

After avoiding some traps, we made it to a rather large gap with as small lift and a wire as the only way across. "Naturally. Thanks Bentley." I turned and asked Sly, "Son, who is it you keep talkin' to?" "Uh, I have a thing in my ear that lets me talk to my friend... and now he's telling me you need to carry some of that TNT so we can blow the gate." I looked at the TNT I had placed my foot on and looked back up to Sly. "Sure, I got voices in my head tellin' me to blow things up too."

"No seriously.' Erica said taking a small gadget out of her ear. 'This is called a Wireless Earpiece. It wirelessly connects us to Bentley Turtle. Say something nice to Tennessee Kid, Bentley." She held the devise up to my ear and I heard a voice coming from it say. _"Something nice. There I said it. Now get going and get out of that prison while you still can!"_ "Well I'll be darned, you're right!' I took my foot off the TNT and rubbed my hands together. 'And the voices in my head have been right so far, too.' I picked up the barrel. 'Let's get to it."

I walked over to the lift and climbed on while Sly used his ball and chain to knock the platform over to the other side. Then Erica and Sly walked across the wire to get to me. After avoiding some guards and security lights we made it to a room where the floor was green. "Looks like some kind of security lasers." Erica said taking her earpiece out of her ear and holding it up so we both can hear. _"Whoa! It looks like somebody's supplying Toothpick with new technology. That is a Phased Karp Array, you guys. One touch means instant death!"_

Erica looked at Sly for a moment and said, "Sly, you ever been to a circus?' He turned to her and nodded. 'You ever see those clowns that balance on those huge balls? See where I'm going with this?" His eyes widened and he nodded. He placed the ball on the ground, jumped up onto it and started rolling over the green floor to the switch. As he rolled off, I looked at Erica. "So, ya gonna tell 'em we meet before?" She shrugged fiddling with a necklace around her neck.

"Wait what's that there?" I put the TNT down and gently took a hold of the necklace in my hand. "This is the Japanese symbol for 'Family'. It was given to me by a man I think of as a father figure since mine is dead." She said. I turned it around and blinked seeing the signature on the back. 'To Erica, the Sakura Flower of the family. Rioichi Cooper.' "If I know my Cooper Clan history,' I looked up at her. 'And I do,' I looked back down at the necklace. 'This means you've somehow met the Ninja Cooper." She rubbed the back of her neck. "It's a _long_ complicated story."

The switch went off and the lasers deactivated. I gave her back the necklace, picked up the TNT and we both walked over to Sly. As we walked, Sly asked, "So, tell me about Sheriff Toothpick." I scowled. "Toothpick! That shady Son of a Gun is crookeder then a sack of corkscrews. He framed me for that Bank Job and took the Gold for himself! I just know it!"

We finally came to the side wall Bentley said to go to. I placed the TNT near the wall before runnin' back, grabbing a lantern, and throwing it at the Dynamite. The three of us smiled at each other as we watched the spark catch on the wick. Suddenly we remembered this was Dynamite, and we ran and hid behind a stack of unused bricks. We ducked down and waited for the explosion... but there was no explosion. We all looked over the bricks and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Where's the Ka-Boom? There was supposed to be a wall shattering Ka-Boom?

**_KA-BOOM!_**

_There it is!_

We went through the gap in the wall and strait to freedom. I looked at Sly and slapped him on the back. "I just want to say I knew you was a Cooper the second I laid eyes on you." Sly gave a smile that could light up the entire town. "Thanks, but Tennessee, we need to go!" Suddenly some guards appeared and started shooting at us.

We ducked and Sly asked, "You ready?" I hesitated. "Well, not really..." Before I knew it , I felt Sly kick me off the edge until I felt a cane hook on the back of my shirt. I looked up to see a parachute with the Cooper family symbol on it. Sly held the parachute with both hands while Erica had an arm wrapped around his neck tightly while the other held her cane that I was hooked to. I laughed and gave a "Yehaw!" as we escaped the prison.

I was free at last!

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><em>Somehow, we managed to survive and make it back to the hideout. Once there, we bandaged Erica's injuries and Tennessee gave us the lowdown. How he had been planning the 'Bank Heist' that should've gone down in Cooper Lore as his Masterpiece. Only to have a mysterious new sheriff arrest him before he even reached the bank! Curiously, the robbery still occurred, and all the banks gold was stolen.<em>

_Tennessee was charged even though he was __already in prison and the gold was never recovered!_

_Of course, he had a strong suspicion it was Sheriff Toothpick himself who had stolen the gold and framed him. And after a little research, there was no doubt he was right._

_Bentley was able to uncover plenty of information about the 'Sheriff'. Although he changed his appearance somewhat, Toothpick was a two-bit Gangster from Present-Day Easter Europe. According to his file, he grew up loving two things: Gold and Cowboy movies. He eventually specialized in Gold Robberies, and for a while masterminded some of the largest scores around the world! Then he abruptly vanished! The word was he always thought of himself as a Gunslinger, and it looked like he found a way to make that a reality._

_The guy was a __real loose cannon. We'd have to watch our backs if we were to steal back the missing gold and restore Tennessee Kid Cooper's reputation as the Greatest Outlaw of the old west._

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><em>~Bentley Tech- Activate Screen~<em>

**Bentley:** Okay, the first order of business is getting Tennessee his guns back!  
><span><strong>Tennessee:<strong> Well it's just the one gun now. I upgraded but yeah, I need my shootn' Iron back!  
><span><strong>Bentley:<strong> Agreed. According to my sources, Toothpick closed this old goldmine several months ago declaring it unsafe. In fact he's converted it into a storage facility for his stolen goods, including Tennessee's gun! We'll need to take measures with this job, so as not to arouse suspicion. So employing a Masterful Disguise, I'll tail Toothpick to the mines' entrance and mark it with a homing beacon. Murray you'll then use to find your way there. Toothpick's sure to have secured the entrance, so we'll need your formidable skills to get it open. Then once we have access, Tennessee can get in and get his gun back!

_~Bentley Tech- Deactivate Screen~_

_~Erica's POV~_  
>I sat there scratching an itch on my back with my cane. My injuries weren't as bad as anyone thought they would be, but the bandages itched my skin terribly. We all were resting for a while before we begin the next step, Bentley was on his computers, Murray was working on the Arcade and Sly showing Tennessee how to play Ping-Pong. I drooped my head down on my chest with my tongue sticking out a bit as my cane scratched that one place, that's when I noticed my foot was thumping on the floor like Thumper for the Disney movie <span>'Bambi'<span>.

I immediately straightened up and stopped scratching my back. I had to admit that was a bit embarrassing. The animal instincts sometimes get to me too much. I sighed and painfully transformed back to Human, putting on my glasses. I stood up and went to the makeshift bathroom. I stripped off my shirt and started to untie the bandages. Funny thing about my forms. If I get hurt in one form, when I go to the other then all injuries disappear. So I was good in this form, no scars or bruises whatsoever. If I go back to coon form right now my injuries will come back. The only thing that would not leave me in both forms was that brand on the small of my back.

I stretched a bit before putting on a sports-bra like top and exiting the bathroom only to come face to face with the gang. "Erica, ya mind telling us what that armadillo did to ya?" I shook my head and sighed as I sat down. "Well, when he got me into those chains hangin' from the ceiling, I started insulting him. I called him 'uglier than a new-sheared sheep' and that 'He was so dumb he couldn't drive nails in a snowbank.' and other such insults.' Tennessee snickered knowing some of those insults. 'Then he started telling me that his Boss was expecting a Coon Girl to be traveling with a Grey-Furred Cooper. He was told that if he ever saw a Female Coon of my description he was to 'reason' with her to' I paused wandering about whether I should tell them about the brand. Taking a breath I finished, 'return to the one who _Branded_ her as his: Cyrille Le Paradox "

I turned my back to them finally showing my brand. I heard the gasps and I muttered, "It's the only mark on my body that stays there in both forms." I turned back around only to see a wall of pink. I looked up to see Murray with tears in his eyes. Then I was passed to Bentley who jumped out of his wheelchair and wrapped his legs around my waist. I hugged him back before setting him back in his wheelchair. I then turned to the two Coopers in the room. They both looked mad.

I lowered my head and tried not to let any tears out. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at Tennessee Kid. He gave me a small comforting smile before he pulled me into a hug. "You certainly are brave, Girl. You're a Cooper at heart for sure." I returned the hug before pulling away and turning to Sly. He didn't say anything but the Bone Crushing hug said a thousand words.

He slowly released me but when he sat down he made me sit on his lap. He gave the others a look and Bentley said, "Well, let's go get your gun back Tennessee." They left leaving me still sitting in Sly's lap. I squirmed a bit but then he held me still. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.

I looked him in the eye and said, "Yes, I'm sure. The only pain I've felt lately was transforming back to human.' I bit my lip and looked away. 'Going to and from each Form is getting more painful little by little. I can't stay in my Human Form because if I continue living in this dimension I'll need to blend in. And I can't stay in my Coon Form because that would mean that I lose the last bit of my past I have left: my Humanity! What should I do?"

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Sly's POV~<em>  
>"Going to and from each Form is getting more painful little by little. I can't stay in my Human Form because if I continue living in this dimension I'll need to blend in. And I can't stay in my Coon Form because that would mean that I lose the last bit of my past I have left: my Humanity! What should I do?" Erica was looking at me with some tears in her eyes. "We'll figure something out Erica. Maybe Bentley can research what Le Paradox did to you and uncover what it was he injected you with."<p>

I smiled when she perked up. "Speaking of Bentley, do you have any idea what he was thinking with that mustache and curled toupee?" I laughed before nudging her towards one of the beds. "I have absolutely no idea, now go and get some sleep." She nodded and gave me both a hug a kiss on the cheek before going to bed. I blushed again. Good Lord, this crush is getting worse. I don't know if I should be worried or elated.

Suddenly a thought occurred to me. What would Carmelita say? Never mind that what would she _do_? Before I could stress out more about this, Bentley and Murray entered the hideout. "Sly, I got a mission for you while we wait for Tennessee to return." I nodded and got up to go where Bentley asked.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Time Skip~<em>  
>I looked at the Saloon with my Binnocucom as Bentley called. "Toothpick's office is somewhere in the upper levels of the saloon. To find out what he's planning, our best bet is to plant a bug. Needless to say, we must remain undetected. Conveniently, I discovered they're looking for a new bartender, so I'll go in - Undercover – and control the situation by introducing the patrons to my special homebrewed sarsaparilla."<p>

I however had my attention on something else. "Your mustache looks... bigger. What have you been _feeding_ it?"

Bentley looked at me sternly. "Pay attention, Sly. You'll need to enter through that window and make your way to the ventilation system. Meanwhile, I'll have the goons inside so sugared up, they'll be seeing double until they crash. Hard. Once you launch to RC Car in the vent, I'll take control and guide it to Toothpick's office."

Seeing Bentley in that mustache was a bit unnerving so I had to ask, "You're not going to start wearing that mustache all the time, are you?"

He actually smirked at me and said, "Jealousy is such an ugly emotion, Sly." I shook my head and ended the connection. Heading towards the window, I saw Bentley wheel by. "Watch your back, Pal. This place looks pretty rough." Bentley nodded.

We entered the saloon and I saw him nervously look at the Bulls from behind the bar. "Uh... I've got sarsaparilla...?" I balanced along the pipes above everyone's heads as Bentley handed out the spiked sarsaparilla. "Uh oh." "Bentley? What happened?"

"I'm out of Sarsaparilla."

That made me freeze. Suddenly on the stage, piano music began. The Bulls, Coyote's and Jackrabbits all looked in that direction with a united, "Huh?"

The Curtains opened and a young raccoon woman stepped out, the curtains closing behind her. She was wearing blue heeled boots, blue tank top, blue skirt that went past her knees, a blue shawl around her shoulders and on her head was a pioneer's bonnet. She had little makeup on besides light lipstick, blush and blue eye-shadow. I blinked a couple of times before I recognized the girl. I sighed with a face palm, shaking my head. I shrugged to myself and sat down on the pipe to watch as she began to sing.

"~Dearest friends, dear gentlemen,  
>Listen to my song!<br>Life round here's been hard for you,  
>Life has made you strong!<br>Let me lift the mood...  
>With my attitude.~"<p>

She then began strutting around the stage stunning the patrons with her voice as the music picked up the beat.

"~Hey, fellas  
>The time is right.<br>Get ready:  
>Tonight's the night!<br>Boys, what you're hopin' for will come true  
>Let me be good to you.~"<p>

She smiled sweetly at the Jackrabbit in front of her and pointed at him on the word 'you'.

"~You tough guys!  
>You're feelin' all alone...<br>You rough guys!  
>The best o' you cowboys and bums<br>All o' my chums!~"

She swayed her hips a bit before walking towards the curtains.

"~So dream on  
>And drink your sarsaparilla,<br>Get cozy  
>Your baby's here!<br>You won't be misunderstood  
>Let me be good to you!~"<p>

She moved behind the curtain as a band joins in, picking up the beat even more. The curtains pull back, and she is joined by six female white mice, in red, yellow and orange Can-Can dresses with matching feathers in their hair.

"~Hey, fellas!  
>I'll take off all my blues!~"<p>

During these lyrics, she removed her shawl, bonnet and ripped off her skirt, revealing a blue Can-Can dress, with a blue feather in her up-do curled hair. I blink and rub my eyes a bit before looking back, my eyes going wide. The patrons whistle, and one, a Coyote, is leaning against the edge of the stage leaning towards her.

"~Hey, fellas!  
>There's nothin' I won't do<br>Just for you!~"

On the word 'nothin'', she kicked her foot into the air so close that her heel was an inch away from the Coyotes' face. The force of the wind from the kick sent him backwards into the arms of his friends in a daze. She then joined the others in the Can-Can line. At one point looked me in the eye and jerked her head as if to say 'Get Going, Cooper!' I nodded before continuing to the vent. Getting there, I placed the RC Car down and nudged it in with my foot. I then returned to the main room and sat on a pipe watching the rest of the Show.

"~So dream on  
>And drink your sarsaparilla,<br>Get cozy  
>Your baby's here!<br>Hey boys, I'm talkin' to you!~"

I sat up and blushed when she pointed at me with a wink.

"~Your baby's gonna come through!~"

The other girls joined in on the last part of the song, kicking their legs in the air.

~"Let me be good to you!~"

The girls behind her ended with a split while she gave one more kick in the air before pulling the side of her skirt up to her hip and throwing her hand in the air.

"~Yeah!~"

There was an explosion of applause. She and the mice get in a straight line and bow before going behind the curtain. I saw Bentley give me a thumbs up sign from the corner of my eye and knew he was alright. I looked around and smiled when I saw some flowers not too far from where I was. It was behind the back of a Jackrabbit who was talking to a girl. They were white lilies surrounding three blue roses. I swiped the flowers and replaced them with an old chair leg. It was worth seeing his surprised face and her smacking said face.

I went backstage to see the white mice all at vanities taking the feather out of their hair or talking to the girl next to her. One of the girls saw me in her mirror and immediately turned around to greet me. "Bonjour Mademoiselles!" I said tipping my hat to them. All six crowded around me and I smiled at them handing them each a lily form the bouquet. "You all did wonderfully. I'm sorry to say that I am looking for someone specific. Do you know where I can find the Golden Raccoon who performed with you?"

One of the mice smiled at me and pointed towards a door. "She's in there. That room is for those who only want to perform once. She explained she needed to distract the men in there so her 'friends' can spy on the Sheriff.' She made a sour face. 'None of us liked that ol' Toothpick and we personally were glad when Tennessee Kid busted out of prison escaping the noose. So you go and meet with your girl and plan to get rid of that sorry excuse of a lawmaker!" She and the others pushed me towards the door.

I blinked before turning to them and tipping my hat again. "Merci, Mademoiselles." They giggled and I heard one of them whispering about how handsome I was, if I was related to Tennessee and if I could introduce them to him. I knocked on the door. "Come in Mary-Ann!" I chuckled as I realized she thought I was one of the girls.

I opened the door and walked in closing it behind me. Erica was sitting at the vanity across form the door. To my left was a changing screen and to my right was a bathtub behind another screen. "I can't thank you enough, Mary-Ann! I'll be sure to tell Tennessee about you all when I get back." I chuckled again. She spun around and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Sly!"

I pulled the bouquet out from behind my back and held it out to her. "You did a beautiful job out there." She blushed taking the bouquet. "I never told you I like white lilies and blue roses." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well, it was a last minute thing." She kissed my cheek, placing them on the vanity before walking to the tub. "Let me wash and change clothes before we head out." I turned around as she undressed but when I heard her get into the tub my instincts went high.

It was just like what happened at her house. My instincts were screaming at me to help the potential mate wash. This was getting crazy! This instinct has only come around once with Carmelita in all the years we've been on/off boy/girlfriend. With Erica, it's come up _twice in a single month!_ I resisted it even though my inner coon was growling. I knew I was trembling hard trying to keep it in.

I knew what this meant, I found out who really stole my heart: Erica. But until I come Face-to-Face with Carmelita, I won't say a word. I'll hold it in.

I listened with a wince as I heard her stand up from the tub and dry herself off, walking to the other screen to change. When she was finished, I turned to look at her. She was in her normal Cooper Thief outfit but with that necklace Rioichi gave her clearly showing around her neck. Picking up the bouquet, she turned back to me with a smile that made me gulp back any words of love that might come out unexpectedly. "Let's go!"


	7. Go West Young Raccoon- Part Three

**A/N: Me: **Hey everyone! Hope ya'll are doing well! I got Tennessee Kid Cooper with me today! Isn't he the handsomest thing?

**Tennessee:** _*blushing and tilting his hat over his eyes*_ Aw shucks!

**Me:** I'm sorry about this whole posting late thing, I can't help it!

**Tennessee:** Ya know it's about 12:40 am here, Perfect time for a Heist! Let's go PG! _*starts dragging her out with him*_

**Me:** Wait! Disclaimers! _*pulls away for a second* **I don't own Sly Cooper, any of the Characters, games or plots. I only own my OC Erica. Thank you all who reviewed and favorited this story! Any Questions, Comments or Reviews can be placed in the Review Box below or PMed to me. A Bucket of Water is placed aside for any and all Flamers! So Flamers, don't even think about it! Don't make me sic Tennessee on you.**_

**Tennessee:** _*twirls and cocks his gun*_

**Me:** Enjoy this chapter! _*leaves with Tennessee*_

_*Screen fades to black with the Cooper Logo in the Center of Screen.*_

* * *

><p><span><strong>VII: Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Go West Young Raccoon-Part Three<strong>

_~Narrators POV~_  
>The blank screen lit up to reveal Toothpick's office. The only part of the Sheriff that could be seen was his arms and gun.<p>

"Alright, listen up!' Toothpick said pointing his gun at two of his men. 'My pardner's got an ace up his sleeve and we're about to go all in! This Trump card's gonna crush Cooper and the rest of his claim-jumpin' gang! We'se gonna learn 'em you don't yank a rattlesnake's tail less'n yer lookin' to _*hiss*_ get bit!' He laughed. 'Then, we're gonna finish loadin' up that train and haul our keesters outta this one-horse town! Once, we get that loot back to the present day, I, Toothpick, am gonna be worth _billions!_"

With that last word, Toothpicks gun went off and one Bull fell forward on his desk, dead. "Eh... Ooopsie." The only other bull in the room then spoke up. "Dangit, boss! Would ya watch where you're pointin' that thing?"

Suddenly, the Bull looked terrified and backed away as a large shadow overshadowed him. "ARE YOU TALKIN' TO ME?!" A deep scary voice said. The Bull started stuttering. "Whoa, boss, whoa! I'm sorry! I didn't mean nuthin'!" The screen went blank again.

Erica and Bentley looked at each other before straitening. "Erica do you know what that was?" Bentley asked. She nodded. "That was Toothpick. I don't know how but somehow he can grow three times his height." Bentley nodded and hummed. He suddenly pulled out an empty syringe and pricked a vein in Erica's arm. "Ouch! What's that for?"

"I need some of your blood for a test. If I can use your DNA to figure out what Le Paradox injected into you I might be able to reverse it so you can go to and from Cooper and Human form with no pain." She looked at him and blinked before she hugged him muttering a Thank You. "Now, I'm going to go make a Copy of Tennessee Kid Cooper's gun."

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Time Skip~<em>  
><em>~Tennessee Kid's POV~<em>  
>I sat on the roof waitin' for Erica to return my gun to me. She had asked to reload it and polish it up a bit and I told her yes. Her smile was brighter than the stars. She now came rushing back with my gun all polished and reloaded. "Here's your gun back Tennessee!"<p>

She held it out to me and I took it back and looked it over. "Very nice job Erica." She rubbed the back of her head and looked away embarrassed. "Yeah, thanks. I had a couple of guns back home when I lived in Texas for a few weeks. I had a heist there." She sat next to me ready to tell the story.

"I was living in a town much like this one save it was a bit bigger and had more people. There was a man like Toothpick except he was selling anything he dug up to the black market, including women.' I growled. Treating a ladylike an object was just not right in my book. 'He had stolen some gold and a priceless item from the largest bank in Texas, I thought it fair he 'share the wealth'. So, two days after I had gotten to town, I was invited to the fair they were having. There were games and food and fun, but mostly food because most of the ones who were in charge were Baptist, and everyone knows Baptist love food."

She paused before she started crying a bit. "What are you cryin' about?" I asked whipping away some of her tears. "Sorry.' She said calming down. 'It's just before my Church Building and Church Family were destroyed, we were a Baptist Church. Every time we had an excuse to make and/or eat food we did! One member made the best lasagna and my dad made the best Black Bean Burgers. Le Paradox took all that from me." She cried again and I held her, rubbin' her back and comforting her best I could.

She calmed down again and wiped her tears from her eye. "Oh, sorry. Where was I? Oh yeah! There was going to be a shooting contest and the guy I was after was said to be the champion four years running. Never been beat before. I stepped up to the challenge, especially when he said the prize would be a rare gem, the very one he stole from the bank! The gen is called the Texas Star. A Texas shaped sapphire with pure white pearl and ruby with a diamond star on the side. All the Texas Flag Colors! Worth the entire state of Texas and Oklahoma!"

She smirked at me. "The guy thought he'd put that up for the prize and since he's never been beaten before he would get it back every time. The Challenge was simple: hit as many live targets as you could. Coyotes were worth fifty points, Jackrabbits worth a hundred. I was in Cooper Form but kept myself mostly hidden under a cowboy hat and had my tail hang limp to make it look like a decoration on my belt. Thanks to my Coon side I could sniff out where all the targets were, even if they were hidden. In the end, I won with twenty Jackrabbits and ten Coyotes: all together two thousand five hundred points."

I whistled. "Impressive." She gave an almost cocky smile. "Thanks. As soon as I got the Star, I left a message to the State authorities about him, along with proof about his black market business." She opened the bag on her hip and pulled out a large something wrapped in a white cloth. She smirked at me as she began unwrapping it. "All but one item was returned to the Bank..." She pulled the last bit of cloth away to reveal the Texas Star Gem itself.

She held it out to me. I held it gently in my hands. "I doubt you'll find anything like that here. It's one of a kind. And now it's yours Tennessee." I looked at her in shock and tried handing it back to her. "But you're the one that took it!" She shook her head and pushed it back into my hands. "Yeah, but I told Sly the only reason anyone would get something from my trove is if I gave it to them personally. Before we left my home, I grabbed a couple of treasures I wanted to give to any of Sly's ancestors I might meet. I gave Rioichi a golden statue of a Samurai that was a couple hundred years old. This is your gift. No take-backs!"

She then was about to run off when she froze. She was trembling real badly. Putting the gem in my bag, I went over to her and asked, "What's wrong?" She pointed towards the windmill and muttered one word, "Clockwerk." I pulled out that Binnocucom Thing Bentley had given me and looked to see what she was talking about.

On top of the windmill was a large metal owl. "What in Tarnation...?" I muttered. Suddenly, the owl turned its head towards us and looked at me for only a second before turning its gaze to something else. I tuned to look at what he was lookin' at only to see a trembling Erica. "Why is he looking at me again? In Rioichi's time he always looked at me."

"Who's that Erica?" She then began to explain to me who that owl was and just how dangerous he could be. I nodded seriously, understanding the danger this bird could be to the family. "But he only glanced at me. Why'd he look so intently at you?" She shook her head. "I'm not sure, really. He did the same in Rioichi's time. It scares me to think what he is thinking when he looks at me." She then left.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Time Skip~<em>  
>It's been a few hours since I'd seen Erica. I got up from my chair in the hideout and told Bentley I was going out to find her. After searchin the town three times over and still nothin, I was about to go back when I saw somethin. Looking through the Binnocucom I shook my head at what I saw. "Hmm, that's not good- looks like Toothpick rustled himself up a pretty lady!"<p>

Bentley suddenly jumped in his wheelchair. "Sweet jumping jackrabbits! That's no lady, that's Carmelita! What is she doing here?"

"You know her?"

"I'm afraid so! Something is _very_ wrong here, Tennessee! But all quantum physics aside, we have to rescue her! Nobody can get there faster than you! I'll grab Sly and Murray and we'll meet you with the van. Just get goi-"

"Hold on a second Bentley! There's another figure tied up there." I zoomed in closer to see...

"ERICA!"

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Erica's POV~<em>  
>I can't believe I was so stupid. I had let down my guard and now I'm tied up and about to be thrown into a runaway Stagecoach. I'm in my human form and I'm getting very uncomfortable as the ropes are cutting into my wrists and the blindfold is making me nervous.<p>

"Phew, I'm only too happy to get rid of this one. Her tongue's sharp enough to cut leather!" I heard Toothpick say. Then I heard a voice I knew only form the game and only a fourth of me was shocked she was here.

"Stinking Cowards! Afraid to untie me and fight like men? I swear when I get out of this...!"

"No sense frettin' about that, little lady! Just enjoy the ride! Har har!" I then felt the blindfold being torn off. "Finally! Never thought I would get that thing off my eyes!' I blinked a couple of times before I got a clear view of my kidnaper. 'On second thought perhaps I should have the blindfold back on so I wouldn't see this ugly sight."

My head snapped to the side as the armadillo backhanded me. "You will respect your elders Girly." I spit in his face saying, "Yeah, I'm sorry. I don't see any elders around here. Only a wimp pretending to be Sheriff." My cheek was hit again and I was thrown into the coach. I winced.

The cart started moving and I sat up and looked out the window, looking for Tennessee. "Who are you?" I looked at Carmelita. _'She's prettier in person.'_ A sneering voice in the back of my head says. _'Sly is a lucky man to have a _non-Half Breed_ like her.'_ I push that voice back and say over the rattling of the stagecoach. "Erica Monica Thomson. But since Le Paradox murdered my entire family to claim me as his experiment, I've gone by a name I'm not sure if you love or hate, considering your connection with the man I think of as a brother, Inspector Carmelita Fox."

Before she could reply, the coach bounced and I hit my head on the ceiling. "Ouch!" I muttered. "You alright?" she asked. I nodded a bit before we both heard a shout of, "I'm-a comin' Miss Carmelita and Erica!" I looked out the window to see a brown figure rail-sliding and shooting obstacles in the way of the carriage. "Who's that?" Carmelita asked. "A true gentleman who, despite his daily career, never lies, never lets his friends down and is a hero in the eyes of everyone in this town."

I looked out the window and gasped seeing we're getting closer to the edge. We both lurched forward as the coach reached the edge and before it and we fell to our doom, Tennessee Kid grabbed both of us and pulled us to safety. As soon as I was untied, I hugged Tennessee. "Thanks, Uncle Tennessee." He holds me at arm length and asks. "Uncle? Since when did I get that title?" I smiled. "Well, you just remind me of one of those uncles who convinces you to do all those Dare Devil stunt that could make the parents very angry." He chuckled as he untied Carmelita.

"Who _ARE_ you?!" she asked.

Tennessee took off his hat and placed it over his heart. "Pleased to meet ya, Ma'am.' He placed his hat back on his head. 'Why I'm Tennessee Kid..."

"Don't tell me! You're a Cooper, right? I knew it!"

"Yes, Ma'am. Bentley told me tha..."

"And stop calling me 'Ma'am!' The name's Inspector Fox. Wait...' she looked up at him with concerned eyes. 'Bentley's here?"

Tennessee looked up to a cliff behind him and said, "Well, looks like they're right behind us..." Both Carmelita and I looked up to see the Van, Murray, Bentley and Sly. "Carmelita! I'm glad you're okay!" Sly said. My face dropped into a sad look and it felt like a shock pistol hit my heart. It seems that he only saw Carmelita. I'm invisible. I felt the tears in my eyes but I held them back. I didn't see Tennessee look at me in worry as I ran my hand over my eyes.

"Why that conniving little..." the Fox grumbled before Toothpick surrounded Sly and the Gang. "Much obliged for the helpin' hand, Inspector Fox and Miss Erica Monica Cooper. Lemme run these bandidos over to the prison and I'll be back for you all lickety-split! Of course, if you're still feelin' neighborly, you could just turn yourselves in! Hahaha!" With that Toothpick led the three and the van away.

"As much as I like the idea of Sly in a cell, nobody kidnaps Inspector Carmelita Fox and gets away with it!" The Fox said.

"I reckon that also includes tyin' her to a runaway stage?" I heard Tennessee ask.

She glared at Kid Copper. "Watch it! I'm in no mood for smart remarks! Now, are you ready for another rescue mission Tennessee?"

He tipped his hat with his cane/gun. "Yes, Ma'am- I mean- I surely am Inspector Fox!" He gave her a little shy smile. I looked at Tennessee with a raised eyebrow, he seemed a bit... different. I immediately rushed to the riverside, knowing Tennessee and Carmelita were behind me. While Carmelita went to grab us a raft, I asked Tennessee, "Uncle Tennessee? You alright? You're acting a bit weird around Carmelita."

He looked at me and sighed. "Every Cooper has this inner Coon. This Coon helps us find our Soul Mate. When our inner Coon senses our Soul Mate, it will do anything to get us to acknowledge it and tell us to do stuff for him or her. Tell me, just out of curiosity, how did ya feel when Sly acknowledged Carmelita and not you? Like something hit your heart so hard tears came to your eyes?' I looked at him in shock and nodded. 'And tell me, as he done anything that could be considered interment between Female and Male Raccoons, like the Male brushing the Female's tail?"

"He... he did. That night they first met me. I gave him my bed to sleep on while I took the couch. I went to take a bath and he got into the water with me and brushed my tail. And... and at the saloon, in my private room when I was bathing, he had his back to me but he was trembling. Almost as if he wanted to care for me himself."

Tennessee nodded. "Near Miss Carmelita Fox, I can feel my inner Coon telling me to court the Lady. I can feel it right now yellin' at me to court her even now that she's not here. Sly's probably fighting his inner Coon because he loves Carmelita."

Before he could continue, said fox came up the river with a raft. "This river is dangerous, but it leads back to the prison. Way I figure it, they won't be expectin' us to come this way.' He said. 'You sure you're up to this Miss Fox?"

"That's Inspector Fox, but just call me Carmelita. Thanks for the rescue, by the way." She said, seeming to have calmed down a bit.

"My pleasure.' Tennessee replied before asking, 'Inspector? You some kind of Sheriff? How'd you get mixed up with Sly?"

She sighed. "It's a long, complicated story. Right now, I need to rescue that ring-tail so I can wring his neck." I blinked looking at her. That's what I call 'Tough Love'.

I could hear a purr come from Tennessee and I knew his inner Coon was happy. "Hoowee, you are feisty! You remind me of this one little gal who..."

"So,' She interrupted. 'What's this like, anyway?"

"Fire. Lots of Fire." I said climbing onto the raft.

"Terrific.' She said sarcastically. 'Let's get going." Tennessee nodded and took control of the helm while I grabbed the two guns I had brought and stored when I left my home. "You know how to shoot?" Carmelita asked me. I looked at her with a blank face before shooting a Jackrabbit who was high on a bridge fifty feet away. Not saying anything else I turned forward and loaded up, ready to shoot anything in our way.

As Carmelita started shooting guards, I started shooting any TNT that popped up in the way on the river. When we reached the first gate, Tennessee complimented us. "Nice shootin', you two!" "How about less sweet talk and more action?" Carmelita asked. Tennessee jumped out and went to open the gate while Carmelita and I waited. "So how did you get mixed up with Cooper?" she asked.

I looked at her and pulled out one of the Sly Cooper game Cases while going into Cooper Form. "If Le Paradox can travel through time don't you think he could also travel dimensions too?" She raised her eyebrows as she looked at the game case and then at me. "Le Paradox wanted a Backup plan in case the one he's doing now failed. He took some DNA from a raccoon here in this detention and then went to mine to find it's match. Long story short, I'm half human, half Raccoon. I escaped him but he injected something in me. Bentley has been researching what it was just in case. Ever since I escaped I've been waiting for Sly and his friends to get me from my home dimension and bring me to this one. Since the Coopers don't really exist there, I took up the mantle.

"There have been a lot of Black Markets and Human Trafficking systems that I have stopped. Most of the stuff I take are stuff that don't belong to anyone anymore. My last one before I met Sly was the property of an old friend of mine who was assassinated a few weeks before. He left some Egyptian Treasure's he had dug up on one of his archeological dig sites for me in his Will. It was sealed by the man who ordered his assassination and when I exposed him for what he did, it was revealed that the treasures belonged legally to me but the Museum refused to give them up. I didn't have enough money to sue them, so I took them back. The night after I took them I met Sly. I had left a note in the Dagger he stole from the Museum you were researching."

Tennessee then dropped in. "Did I miss anythin'?" I shook my head going back to Cooper Form. "Not really." He nodded and we traveled on. We finally reached the prison and I said, "I'll stay out here and watch the raft." Tennessee and Carmelita tried to convince me to come with them cause we would be safer together but I shook my head. "You'll need someone out here if you two get caught."

The reluctantly nodded before heading in. I heard lots of gunfire and blasts then a _Bang!_ as something heavy hit the floor. I saw a lot of guards heading inside and I followed. I heard the voice of Sly. "Carmelita! Are you alright?" But I heard Carmelita reply, "I am, no thanks to you!' I inwardly smirked. Sly was getting a tongue lashing that was obviously deserved. I mentally pretended it was for ignoring me when Tennessee rescued us girls from the stagecoach. 'I should leave you in that cage after what you pulled, Sly Cooper!"

"I know! Look, I can explain everything-"

"Why if it wasn't for this handsome and charming gentleman, I wouldn't even be here..." Was that a bit of adoration I heard in her voice?

I could practically see Tennessee Kid blushing. "Aww, shucks..."

"Handsome and charming? Really? Look, Carmelita, I know-"

"Save it, Sly! All I want to know right now is how I get back to Paris!" Carmelita said and I could hear her coming my way. But it was then that Toothpicks minions surrounded them. "Stop right there!" one said.

I looked around for something to help them. I saw some fireworks and they were right next to every guard. I crept to the Master Fuse and stood by it. "Hey Bulls!" Everyone turned to look at me and I realized I was at the highest point here and I was a real easy target for their guns. I smirked a bit and pulled out my cane twirling it a bit before putting it on my shoulder like Sly does.

I connected to the dark side of me that I usually don't bring out unless someone I care about is in real big trouble. I crouched a bit and my eyes darkened a bit as I glared at the Bulls one whose eyes were too familiar. "You should know better than to trap Friends of the Cooper Thief, especially you Conner Bulltrude." The biggest of the Bulls laughed and before everyone's eyes transformed into a Human, the very Human I had put into prison for stealing the Texas Star Gem.

"Well, well, well! The Cooper Thief! How lovely to see you again! I've been meaning to speak to you. If you hadn't placed me in jail for stealing the Texas Star Gem, Le Paradox wouldn't have found me and given me the sweet offer of getting revenge on you.' He looked me up and down before leering lustfully at me 'And I think with the way you look I know just how I will do it!"

My head snapped at the growl that came from Sly's throat as he glared up at Bulltrude. "You will not touch her!" He said in a voice that sent a shiver down everyone's spine. That was Sly's inner Coon growling out. I stood up. "Nor will you touch them!" I yelled down to Bulltrude motioning with my cane to the Cooper Gang. Then with a swing of my cane, the metal part of the hook scraped against stone and created a spark that lit the Fuse. The next thing everyone knew, all the Bulls were dead by firework and Bulltrude was blasted below where I was standing.

With a single leap I landed in front of him and said, "Never come near my family again." With a whack of my cane, he was unconscious. I chained him up so tightly that even if he became a Bull he wouldn't escape. I saw a brand on his shoulder like mine. _'So Le Paradox gathered some of my old enemies and turned them into lab rats like me but they get something in return... wait this brand is different...'_ Looking closer I saw that it was in the shape of an Owl with blood red wings.

_'Not Paradox. Clockwerk.'_ I composed my face before going over to the others. I brushed past Sly as a bit of my version of punishment for ignoring me on the Cliffside. "Carmelita, I'm sure the others are wondering how you got here. And Murray we'll find the Van later. Let's just regroup back at the hideout and figure out our next move." With that I led the way out of the prison, wondering why Clockwerk seemed desperate to get to me.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>When I saw that arrogant, little... no good, lying... oh! I should've tied his mangy tail around his neck. I should have blasted that smug look right off his face! I... I... I...<em>

_I should probably just finish my story..._

_After the Cooper Gang escaped me at the Museum, I decided to follow my nose and take a look around. I'd been investigating the trading of stolen antiquities on the Black Market, but I never guessed that Two-faced ring-tail was involved. Then as I turned the corner, I was stunned to see a huge stash of stolen treasure right there in the Museum. And even more shocking, Cyrille Le Paradox himself unloading them!_

_I couldn't believe it! The Billionaire Art Collector and Museum Patron was behind this?! I was so surprised that by the time I reacted his goons already had me covered. Then that Slimy, Sod-off Runt had me thrown into some vile machine. And the next thing I knew, I was playing Cowboy's and Criminal's._

_The Old West? Time Travel?! It was completely Loco!_

_Sure Le Paradox had done some time in his youth, but he'd been squeaky clean ever since and Interpol had never considered him a suspect. There were rumors about the source of his wealth but nothing had ever been proven. Now I knew I solved that mystery! And of course Cooper and his friends were involved somehow... Why am I not surprised?_

_The flea bag tried to feed me some story about having to rob the Museum to save the future, but I was done listening to that liar. I needed to get back to Paris but that toad Toothpick had stolen Murray's Van and Bentley's Time Machine along with it!_

_I finally cracked the case and now I was stuck in this lousy dustbowl with the Cooper Gang! I don't know what made me angrier: not being able to bust the lowlife skunk or being trapped here with that lying Ring-tail!_

*Sigh* _The only bearable thing about this whole mess was that at least Cooper's Ancestor was a Gentlemen and I had another Girl to keep me company. Half-Raccoon or not._


	8. Go West Young Raccoon- Part Four

**A/N: Me: **Hey every one! I don't have much time as we have a Big Snow Storm here so I'll cut to the chase.**_ I don't own Sly Cooper or anything related to the plot or the characters. I only own my OC Erica! All Questions, Comments and Reviews can be PMed to me or placed in the Review box below. I have taken the liberty of putting some of the fallen snow into the Bucket and it WILL BE THROWN ONTO ANY AND ALL FLAMERS! _**

_*Sly, Murray, Bentley, and Carmelita comes in shaking off the snow*_

**Sly:** Hey, PG! I know it's late and all but can you make us some hot chocolate? We just finished clearing as much of the driveway as we could for Murray's Van.

_*PG nods before turning back to the readers*_

**Me:** Of course, Sly. Enjoy this chapter my lovely readers! _*Pushes a button and the screen goes dark with the Cooper symbol center screen*_

* * *

><p><span><strong>VIII: Sly and Erica Cooper and the Gang in: Go West Young Raccoon- Part Four<strong>

_~Erica's POV~_  
>I sat in the corner of the room, earbuds from my phone in with KAITO's 'A Thousand-Year Solo' on repeat, waiting for Bentley to explain the plan. Ever since we got back the day before yesterday from saving Murray, Bentley and... <em>him<em>... from the prison, I've kept my distance to think. Apparently, Clockwerk somehow got Le Paradox's notes on Human to Animal transformations, and in getting those notes learned about his first successful experiment: Me.

Conner Bulltrude was the man I out shot and placed in prison back in my world's Texas for stealing the Texas Star Gem. He had the anger to match to a bull so it's no wonder he was turned into one. The brand on his shoulder was Clockwerk's mark, so Clockwerk, through Le Paradox, was who busted him out of prison in my world and brought him to this world with the promise of revenge on me.

Who of my enemies will I face next?

I've also kept my distance from, as my new friend Carmelita would call him, that arrogant, little, no good Ring-tail! It still hurt he didn't ask how I was doing on that Cliffside and he hadn't apologized for that. He was too busy worrying about Carm. I wasn't mad at her... okay I was a bit. But to be fair she's the one who's not sure about her feelings for the Raccoon.

But she has been getting closer to Tennessee Kid more. I can tell she feels the Soul Mate Bond they share.

Speaking of the fox, she came over and sat down beside me. I held out an earbud and she placed it in her ear. I had gotten her into Vocaloid and she was teaching me to shoot a Shock Pistol.

"How's Tennessee?" I asked her. She blushed. "He's a Gentleman much more then Ring-tail has ever been." She then looked at me and asked nervously. "Do you believe in True Love at First Sight?"

I thought a bit. "I'm not sure. I believe in Love that can be at first sight or take time. It depends on whether or not the two are Soul Mates or not. If they are, it's Love at First Sight. But since Soul Mates are rare I would say Love takes time."

She nodded. "I- I think Tennessee is my Soul Mate." I smiled. "I know you are.' She looked shock. 'I learned a trick most all Coopers are born with, Tennessee confirmed it and told me all about it. The Coopers are the only ones to find their Soul Mates every time and form a connection, emotionally, mentally and physically."

Her look of shock didn't fade. "Tennessee immediately felt the connection form between him and you, so you are his Soul Mate. But the bond goes two ways. If the Cooper does something to hurt their Soul Mate emotionally, physically or mentally, say flirt with another female that is not considered friend or family of the Soul Mate, the Mate of the Cooper feels pain like getting hit with a shock pistol strait to the heart. And the pain doesn't stop til the Cooper apologies to his Mate and does something, sometimes interment, to help restore the connection they have." I subconsciously rubbed the place over my heart.

If she noticed, she didn't say but she instead. "What happens if the connection is broken?" "Pain. Physical Pain. On both sides." She winced. "Sure a Cooper can mate with someone who isn't their Soul Mate, but they will never feel truly complete or whole."

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Sly's POV~<em>  
>I continued to listen to the two girls' conversation from one of the clock gears high above them. I knew a bit about the Coopers ability to find their Soul Mate, but not much because it was a Father's duty to tell his child when they become a Master Thief. My Dad died before he even got a chance to even give me the Thievius Raccoonus . Now I knew what had been going on between Carmelita and Tennessee.<p>

"You're Sly's Soul Mate, aren't you?" My head snapped to them when Carmelita asked that. I looked to Erica and saw her rubbing the spot over her heart subconsciously, slightly wincing in pain. She said gently, as if not to hurt Carm. "When he asked if you were alright after Tennessee rescued us from the runaway coach, he didn't even glance at me. You had all his attention. It felt as if I had been cut open, my heart reviled to all the world and a blast from you Shock Pistol on its highest setting hit it."

I could hear the pain in her voice. "I am not angry at you for having his attention. He should have been fully informed of the Coopers ability by his Father, but as even you should know, the man was killed by the Fiendish Five when Sly was a little boy. At first when I learned of my feelings for Sly, I was ready step down and let him be with you. Even now I know if he rejects the Soul Mate bond we have created just by being near each other, I will still step down if you still love each other."

In the end, she took the earbud out of her ear, turned off the music and sighed. "Yes, Carmelita. I am the Soul Mate of Sly Cooper." _'Holy...!'_ I almost fell off the gear I was on. _'Erica is my... is that the reason why I bushed her tail for her in the bath a few weeks ago? Is that why it pains me to call her little sister? Is that why I am letting the woman I have known for years and faked amnesia just to be with her for a few years go so easily? But I still love Carmelita Fox!'_ But how was I to know what that thought was doing to Erica?

Said girl gripped where her heart was and gave a painful shout doubling over, at the same time the same pain she was feeling hit me and I gripped the place over my heart. Bentley, Murray and Tennessee Kid ran in and Tennessee helped her sit back up as Carmelita rubbed her back.

"Uncle Tennessee, why does it hurt so much?" _'I want to know that too!'_ Tennessee sat next to Carmelita, who put an arm around him, and pulled Erica into his lap letting her cry into his shirt. "It's because Sly is tryin' to sort out his feelin's for both you and Inspector Fo- er- Carmelita." Carmelita had given him a look that told him to call her by name. "But since he hasn't made it up to you for that blunder on the Cliff, its hurtin' both of you." I swear that I saw him glance up at me with a frown on his face. "I'll be havin' a talk with him when I see him next. I don't want ya'll hurtin' more than ya already are."

He hugged her one last time before placing her next to Carmelita and walking to the door. But when he reached the door, he glanced up at me and with a single gesture, he told me to come down from the gears and get over there. Gulping a bit, I obeyed. Meeting him at the door right outside the hideout, he grabbed me by the ear and dragged me over to a hidden spot among some large rocks. "Now, You sit yourself right down Sly Cooper, and we're gonna have a little talk."

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Time Skip~<em>  
><em><span>~Bentley Tech- Activate Screen~<span>_

**Bentley:** Alright, thanks to the bug in Toothpick's office, we have a pretty clear idea of what's going on. Toothpick plans on moving the stolen gold out of the mine using his special train. Unfortunately, that train is now also being Turbo Charged by our van and need I mention that we're stranded in Time unless we recover it! Well anyway, it's useless to go after the train in the mine, Toothpick will have stepped up security since our escape and the place will be _crawling_ with guards. We're gonna have to hit that train while it's rolling! But first, we're gonna have to catch it and we'll do that by diverting its route. After surveying the rail system, there are three key track switches we'll need to throw. Toothpick has entrusted to three of his toughest henchmen: Wildman Wester, Frenchie Lestache and Red-Eye Roadblaze. Furthermore, these guys keep the keys around at all times! The good news is that during the 'Toothpick Appreciation' Festival, there are a number of contests and all of them will be competing. Murray, I took the liberty of entering you in the 'Bare-Knuckle Brawl' contest. Wildman is the defending champion and he's sure to have the key on his person. Sly, I hope you're feeling fast because you're going to be competing in the crookedest race in the west: the 'Toothpick 500'! Frenchie happens to be the defending champ so it's a sure bet it's his time that you'll have to beat. Erica, Carmelita, you two will be up against Red-Eye in the shooting contest. As the defending champ, he keeps the trophy close by with the third key inside! Now let's get going, we don't have any time to waste!

_~Bentley Tech- Deactivate Screen~_

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Erica's POV~<em>  
>Carmelita and I were cleaning our guns when Tennessee came in. "Erica, there's something for you outside." I nodded and went outside only to freeze. There, on a cliff not far from where the Hideout was, was a large blue canopy and under it was a table with candles, rose petals and a Spaghetti dinner for two. And standing there, in a fancy Black Tie outfit, playing, to my utter surprise and delight, 'Cantarella' by Vocaloid KAITO on the violin was Sly Cooper himself.<p>

I felt Bentley wheel up behind me and heard him say, "Tennessee explained it all to us. He's still trying to figure out whether Carmelita is more a worrywart mother or a sister to him but he really wanted to make it up to you. He hated seeing you in pain." I looked back at him. "Are you okay with this?" He smiled at me. "If Sly is happy, then yes. Just give him a chance." His wheelchair produced a robotic hand and it pushed me towards the Coon. I walked towards him and when I reached the canopy he had just finished the song. He put the violin away and turned back to me. He walked to me and took my hand in his and kissed it. "Mademoiselle, please allow me to treat you to dinner before I have to leave for my part of the heist."

He escorted me over to one of the chairs and pulled it out for me. I smiled and sat down. He pushed my chair in went over to the other chair and sat down. Now that I was closer to the table, I could see that there was Two Glasses of Champagne (I'm of age to drink, don't worry!), Two Forks but One Plate of spaghetti. "Did you grab a copy of the movie 'Disney's Lady and the Tramp' while in my world?" He chuckled, lifting his Champagne glass. "No. Bentley downloaded every Disney Movie ever made up to your time on his laptop and gave me the idea of this when he watched the movie between missions."

He raised his glass to me. I blinked before giving him a small but loving smile and grabbing my glass and clinking it against his. We both took a sip from our glasses then dug into the spaghetti. Somehow, just like in the movie, we were both trying to finish off a strand and the next thing we know, our lips are touching. I pulled away blushing.

"I didn't think that would actually happen, but I'm kinda glad it did." I looked at Sly shocked. He smiled at me again before pushing the last meatball towards me. I cut in half and gave the other half to him. Finishing dinner, Music started, playing the instrumental version of 'Beauty and the Beast'. He stood and walked over to me offering his hand. I took it and he pulled me up to dance.

After a few minutes of dancing, we stopped. He looked away a bit before looking me in the eye. "Erica, please forgive me for not making sure you were alright the other day. I'm sorry. If I hadn't been so concentrated on Carmelita Fox I would have realized that you're..."

I held up a hand to stop him. I raised an eyebrow and held up a single finger. "This is your first strike." I then smiled at him. "I love you, Sly Cooper. You don't have to say it right away, take your time and sort everything out first." He smiled at me and kissed me. Things were about to get a bit heated when Bentley's voice cut in. _"Sly, Murray got the first key! You're up!"_

I pulled away with a pout. He chuckled. "Yeah. I'll be right there Bentley." I smiled at him before pushing him towards the race course. "Go! I'll be cheering from the sidelines."

I watched from the stands and listened as Bentley spoke to Sly. _"Be careful, Sly, this race is dangerous! They say it's called the '500' because that's how many racers have lost their lives! Also, the course has several checkpoints that you'll need to reach in time to stay in the race! Speaking of which, the only way you're going to move fast enough is to use that ball! You're gonna need to stay on it the whole race!"_

I gave my input. "From what I can see Sly, there are some of Lestache men are scattered around the course. They have TNT in their hands so please avoid them so I can kiss you while you're still in one piece!"

I could practically see Sly's smirk as he put on his jailbird costume and jumped on the iron ball, balancing on it. _"Not a problem, because you know..."_

_"Don't say it!"_

_That's how I roll!_ I laughed hard, as he started rolling. _"I feel like I'm in a Circus."_

_"No time for jokes Sly! Better get moving."_

I watched from my seat. "You're legs feel like that spaghetti we ate for dinner yet?"

_"Yeah... And even my tail is tired! This is why I prefer picking pockets!"_

"I know, Sly. Keep an eye out for that Lestache! He's got his paws on some dynamite."

Finally he crossed the Finish line. Mr. Lestache fell into a tantrum. His key fell from his pocket and Sly grabbed it. _"Excellent! You got the key, Sly! Now scram!"_ Sly did just that.

_"Erica, get going! You need to meet Carmelita at the Shooting range."_ I stood up and ran there. Meeting up with Carm, we walked in the room. Over the loudspeaker, the announcer said, "Yee Hah! Now that's some fine shootin' right there! Well that's it folks. Looks like this year's champion is gonna be... Wait! Wait! Hold everything we've got ourselves some latecomers. Let's see what these pretty little ladies have got!"

Red-Eye Roadblaze smirked. "Well, what have we here? Ladies I know you can't be here to shoot, cause there ain't even no man around these parts can stand up to me."

"We see what you mean, we can barely stand you ourselves." Carmelita said. "But if you're scared of losing, we understand." I smirked.

Red-Eye laughed. "Well, I just won the competition, so you're too late. But I'll tell you what, I'll make you a deal- You just go right ahead, Sweet Thing! If you can beat my score, you get this here trophy. But if you lose, you two gotta give me a little kiss! Whaddaya say?"

I cringed especially when we heard Sly and Tennessee Kid growl at what they just heard. "Good Lord, his breath smells like fermented Gym Socks!"

_"Erica, we don't have a choice!"_ Bentley said.

"Alright, but if we end up having to kiss him even if we win, I'm blaming you!" I muttered to him before turning to Red-eye. "Alright we'll take your wager! But you better get ready to hand over that trophy!" We shook on it before Carmelita aimed her shock pistol and I picked up the gun Tennessee made especially for me. It was basically part of my cane. The hook now detached and turned into a pistol that shot much like Tennessee Kid's gun.

We beat his score each of us getting over two hundred points each individually. He stared wide eyed. "What the?! This ain't happenin'! it's like some kinda magic trick!"

"The only thing disappearing is your trophy, Red-Eye!" Carmelita said as I took the trophy from him. But when I did he leaned in to give me a kiss. I jerked back not letting his lips touch mine and punched him. Carm and I walked away with the key to the Hideout where we gave the keys to Bentley.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Bentley Tech- Activate Screen~<em>

**Bentley:** Okay! Eye's front everyone! The clock is ticking on this one so we don't have time for monkeying around. Toothpick's Gold Train is already rolling and with the incorporation of our van, it's virtually impossible to stop! Thankfully, Tennessee was able to divert the train's route which gives us the chance we need to catch it! First, Murray you're gonna get the van back. It's positioned at the rear of the train not unlike a booster rocket. It's gonna take your considerable fighting skills just to reach it. The catch is, it's being secured with a set of special magnetic locks which can only be broken by someone of your immense strength. Once the van is free, you'll be able to catch the train and pick us up as we complete our tasks. Carmelita, you and I will tackle the next set of cars. I need you to use your fearless marksmanship and cover me while we make our way forward. It won't be easy, the train is crawling with guards and they'll be gunning for both or us. Our goal is to reach a computer terminal near the middle of the train where I'm gonna be doing a little hacking. As we already know, Toothpick cannot stand high-pitched frequencies, particularly whistles. So, I'll reroute the power and control of the steam whistle on the train engine. Something tells me this will come in handy when we finally reach him! Sly, Tennessee and Erica, you three are up next. To ensure we stop Toothpick, we'll need to cover all possible escape routes. So Sly, you'll need to take the roof of the train. Tennessee, you'll move through the cars where we should be able to reclaim your gold along the way. But you're gun slinging will definitely be put to the test! Erica, you'll be handling the most dangerous part of this. You'll be under the train, right near the tracks, dismantling the cars from the engine one by one from the car with the van to the coal car. I've modified your cane to act like a blowtorch you'll need to be under the car after the one you need to detach or you'll be left behind. All three of you should reach the engine around the same time, where you can take Toothpick down. The rest of us will catch up with you in the van. One last thing, don't forget we're a team! That's the only way we're gonna be able to pull this off! Everyone needs to execute their part of the plan perfectly if we're gonna get the van, steal the gold and stop Toothpick! Now let's move out!

_~Bentley Tech- Deactivate Screen~_

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~The Murray's POV~<em>

A couple of hours later, we all stood on a bridge waiting for the train to pass by underneath. Sly and Tennessee Kid were the first to jump off the bridge and onto the train. Followed shortly by Carmelita with Bentley and Erica with me last.

I bounced off a couple of crates and was sure I was going to fall off completely when I was stopped by the Van. Erica jumped down beside me and stared wide-eyed at the van. "My poor Van!" I cried. Erica circled the van quickly then pointed to a pile of TNT. "Try blowing up the magnets Murray! I get rid of any guards that try to stop you." "Don't worry Erica, no way these guys are going to get away with My Van. Besides, I left a sandwich in there." She laughed and began knocking down guards.

With a stomp, a barrel of TNT was in my hands. "Jeeze! These barrels are fragile!" I threw two at the first two magnets. "Gah! Murray can I get a hand here?" I turned to see some Rats cornering her near the last magnet. I threw a barrel at them and it exploded instantly, along with the magnet. "Yes! The Murray does it again!" I ran over to the driver's side door. Erica opened it and saluted me. "Ready when you are, Captain!" I laughed and got in Erica closed the door and walked towards the next car. I drove backwards off the car and onto the tracks. With a screech I turned the Van so to ride beside the train.

Erica gave a wave before she jumped between the cars to start detaching the cars.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Carmelita's POV~<em>  
>I couldn't believe that I was helping to <em>steal gold!<em> I sighed. Still this was for my Soul Mate and I'll do it all and more for him. I looked at Bentley, "Okay, Carmelita. We need to get to that Terminal in the forward car. I hope you brought plenty of ammunition." "I can't believe I'm helping you all with stealing. Part of me is okay with it and the other is not."

"Just think of it as Correcting History."

As we jumped to the next Car, we heard Erica say, _"First car gone! Heading to the next one guys!"_

I looked down and saw her appear from under the car we just jumped from. She gave a little wave before turning on her 'blowtorch' cane. Bentley and I continued forward and he finally started hacking. "I'll have hose whistles rigged in a jiffy!"

Finally he finished he said, "Sly the whistles are the key!" Then we saw Murray drive up with the van and we jumped in.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~Erica's POV~<em>  
>I detached the car Bentley and Carmelita just got off of and watched as it disappeared behind me. <em>'Only a few more to go!'<em> I thought. Before crawling with the tracks under me. My cane still between my teeth and my tail laying strait on my back I continued forward. I could hear Toothpick voice telling the guards to throw us off the train... no, to shoot us then throw us off the train... to blow us up then shoot us _then_ throw us off the train. I rolled my eyes and continued forward. "Hey there Erica!" I looked up to see Tennessee ahead of me. "Uncle Tennessee! Got some of your gold back yet?" "You sure know I did!" he laughed and we continued on our way with our jobs. I pulled the goggles Bentley gave me over my eyes and turned on my cane blowtorch. I cut through the metal of the gadget that held the train cars together and finally it was released.

"I'm finished Bentley! I'm going to the Coal car! Sly, Tennessee, I'll see ya'll in a bit!"

With that I jumped onto the coal car and waited. Tennessee showed up and smiled when he saw me. We both then looked up to the next car, seeing Toothpick. Tennessee smirked and said, "Why don't you bring your little runt self down here and take your wuuppin' like a man, Sheriff?"

Toothpick turned around and growled. "Blast you, Tennessee Kid Cooper! I'ma gonna lock you in the deepest, darkest hole I got and throw away the key!"

"Give it up, Toothpick! The fat lady has sung and you a done!"

Toothpick gave us a very creepy smile. "Oh am I?" Suddenly, two Rats knocked Tennessee over, two others had held me back, and grabbed his gun/cane before throwing it up to Toothpick. "Har har! Thanks, Kid! Le Paradox sends his regards. Adios idiot!" With that, the coward left for the engine. I knocked my captors off the train and rushed to Tennessee as Sly jumped down beside him. "Relax, Pal. I'll take care of this." Sly was about to run off when I stopped him.

"Wait! Hold it for a second.' I walked up to Tennessee and reached behind me. 'Tennessee, you better thank whomever you worship that I thought ahead and made an exact copy, keeping the original safe!" I pulled his gun/cane out from behind my back and tossed it to him. "Now we'll be back with a roasted Armadillo and your gold."

That's when I grabbed Sly and we followed Toothpick. Before we reached the engine Sly pulled me into a kiss. "That was some quick thinking. What would we do without you?" I shrugged. "Lost in Time? Let's go roast Toothpick!" We soon came to the car before the engine and Toothpick threw a floor laser down. Sly donned his jailbird costume and used the ball to roll over the activation device destroying it. I jumped down from the crate I was on and ran over to him. "Now how do we get Toothpick down here?" Sly wondered.

I grabbed the ball and chain and threw it at the switch for the whistle. The whistle blew and Toothpick cried out while I braced myself for what was to come. "_Yowch!_ That hurt ma ears! Who turned on them blasted whistles?!" Then he grew to four times his height and tried to crush us and throwing whirlwinds at us.

"How the heck did he get so big?!" Sly asked avoiding a whirlwind.

"It doesn't say in the game." I replied smirking as he shrunk back down to shrimp size as he tired out and became dizzy. Sly hit him into a furnace with his ball and chain and I started smacking him a few times with my cane. After having to avoid some dynamite, multiple gun shots, more lasers and whirlwinds we finally tossed him into the furnace.

"Ow! Owch! Now ya got me steamed! YEEEEOOOOOWWWCH!" He flew from the smoke stack, red hot literally, and strait to the feet of Tennessee. "Ah, my ear holes, eee ouch."

Tennessee put his foot on top of the Armadillo and said with a smirk. "Well well, lookee what the cat drug in... Looks like this here's our stop." He kicked Toothpick in the rear and off the train before jumping off after him.

Sly and I smiled at each other. He pulled me to his side and dipped me saying, "You did amazing, Erica. Now Tennessee can get his reputation back in order." He was about to kiss me when Bentley stated. _"Sly, we got a real problem!"_

"Not now Bentley! Can't you tell we're having a romantic moment here?"

_"No guys, the train- It's heading for a broken bridge!"_ Our eyes widened and we both straightened up and rushed to the edge of the train car. "We have to get off! We need to jump!" I said. He nodded before he scooped me up into his arms, took a few steps back and ran and jumped onto the Van's roof. He held on to it with his cane as did I.

"Murray hit the brakes!" I heard Bentley yell.

"They're not working! And I can't shut down the rockets!"

"What?!' Carmelita screeched. 'You idiots! You call this a plan?! I knew this was a bad idea!"

"Bentley! Throw the gold out to Tennessee! Now!" I shouted. He did just that. "An' I was just wonderin' where that gold got to." I heard him say through the earpiece. I told him, "Uncle Tennessee, We're gonna have to jump through Time if we're gonna live! We'll bring Carmelita back safe and sound, don't worry. Keep an eye out in case we need you!" I saw him nod.

"Bentley?!" Sly yelled.

Before we knew it we were hurling down the side of a cliff with the train.

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>As the Van hurdled into the ravine, it felt like we were in slow motion. The thought that our adventures where over flashed through my mind as I braced for the crash. Then in desperation, Bentley grabbed the closest thing at hand; Murray's Australian Fossil necklace and used it in the time machine.<em>

_He saved our lives... But now we had no idea where we were headed..._

_Erica and I held on as the van was sucked through the wormhole, tumbling like a cork in the ocean... Who knew where we'd land... and more importantly, when..._

_Then it happened..._

_I saw Erica's grip on her cane starting to slip. When it did, I grabbed her cane and she held on by the hook. With a fearful look in her eyes, I put on a brave face and tried to pull her up closer to me. Her fingers began slipping and then..._

"SLY!"

"ERICA! NOOOOOOO!"

_She fell through the wormhole, to who knows where..._

~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~-~~~~~  
><em>~With Erica~<br>I watched as Sly and the Van disappeared with my cane. I was tossed and turned until I landed in a pile of Hay. Breathing hard, I sat up wondering when and where I was... then I felt something sharp against my neck..._

"Well, now. What beith here?"

_Ohhhhh, boy._


End file.
